Territorial markings next to the playing fields in the middle of Rathcoole but lacking the assault rifle at the playground – see The Rifles Of The UDA.
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Rathcoole UDA
The Rifles Of The UDA
South East Antrim UDA, 1st battalion, mural, complete with assault rifle, next to the Youth & Community Centre at the Diamond in Rathcoole. Two men from the area were convicted in December (2018) for attempting to purchase Glock pistols from PSNI officers posing as ‘dark web’ sellers (BelTel). Fears of a feud continue (Belfast Live).
Rathmore Drive, Rathcoole, Newtownabbey
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Dalaradia
“Pretani” is the Brittonic version of the Greek term “Prettanoi”, possibly borrowed from the Gauls (WP), for the inhabitants of the two islands now known as Ireland and Britain, and “Cruthin” the Gaelic term. According to the eponymous web site, Dalaradia was “was a kingdom of the Cruthin in the north-east of Ireland and parts of Scotland in the first millennium” with the Cruthin being (more narrowly than above) a people in Antrim and Down with (in the middle of the mural) “the field of Crewe Hill, with the Ancient Crowning Stone of Ulster Kings” (REACH) in Glenavy (pretani.co.uk).
The WP page on the Cruthin notes, “The name Cruthin survives in the placenames Duncrun (Dún Cruithean, “fort of the Cruthin”) and Drumcroon (Droim Cruithean, “ridge of the Cruthin”) in County Londonderry, and Ballycrune (Bealach Cruithean, “pass of the Cruthin”) and Crown Mound (Áth Cruithean, “ford of the Cruthin”) in County Down. These placenames are believed to mark the edges of Cruthin territory.”
The towers of Rathcoole can be seen underneath the slogan “Respect, heritage, culture.” They also famously appear behind a trio of hooded gunmen in a Rathcoole mural.
Carmeen Drive, Rathcoole, Newtownabbey
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Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
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Dignity And Pride
The UVF mural dedicated to Colin Caldwell on Derry Hill in Rathcoole was repainted in 2016 and a mention added of “Marky” Mark Quail — who has a separate mural a short distance away — added on a (painted) ribbon. The mural shows two hooded volunteers — from the 3rd [north] Belfast battalion and 1st east Antrim battalion – aiming rifles; the previous mural (X00512) showed volunteers mourning beside a memorial stone. “We salute all volunteers at home and on the mainland who served with dignity and pride.”
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Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
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Honour, Service, Sacrifice
The backdrop to the Red Hand Commando memorial garden in Rathcoole has been repainted with the emblem of the “Red Hand Comrades Association” (for background on the see We Await In The Shadows). “The highest obligation and privilege of citizenship is that of bearing arms for one’s faith, community and country. [George S. Patton, Jr.] Honour, service, sacrifice.” With the names “N[orman]. Williamson, L. Orr, S. Wasson, N. Anderson, A. Moore.” (Anderson and Moore are new additions, compared to M16237 and M16236, below; also included is M13106 for the plaque in the main mural.)
It is in the same colour-scheme as the main wall, which is now fading somewhat: Founded in 1970, “To this day our principles remain the same: to protect the loyalist community, to retain our Britishness.” The mural shows the “Rathcoole Elite” unit (1st Batt., B. Coy) of the Red Hand Commando, complete with four masked men each bearing weapons.
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Copyright © 2016 Peter Moloney
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Copyright © 2019 Peter Moloney
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From Rathcoole To The House Of Windsor
These two boards in Owenreagh Drive, Rathcoole, were mounted to celebrate the seventieth (platinum) jubilee of Queen Elizabeth in June 2022. Similar paintings were produced by schoolchildren in west Belfast – see The People’s Monarch.
“This artwork was designed and created by pupils from Abbots Cross Primary School in partnership with the local children from Rathcoole Community Hub to commemorate the platinum jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.”
“From Rathcoole to the house of Windsor – happy platinum jubilee 1952-2022. God save the Queen.”
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Broken Promises
One of the pair of boards seen in It’s A Knockout! has now been replaced to reflect the latest in the sorry tale of the UK’s Conservative party. The newspaper front pages reporting the “90-minute shouting match” between the resigning UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman and Prime Minister Liz Truss were barely dry when Truss herself resigned. The main cause was the September 23rd “mini-budget” that promised to scrap the 45% personal tax rate entirely, lower the 20% to 19%, and keep the corporate rate at 19% instead of having it increase to 25% in April 2023 – these numbers are seen on the pages falling from Truss’s hands, above – without explaining how the reductions would be funded. Over the next three weeks these positions were reversed – “volte face”, Truss’s flip-flops, and the two-headed Truss; all part of a pattern, artist Ciaran Gallagher (web) suggests with Truss’s clothing: she was originally in the Lib Dems before joining the Conservatives in 1996 and supported ‘remain’ in the Brexit vote (WP).
Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng went on the 14th. Braverman resigned over a breach of the Ministerial Code – sharing an official document on migration from her personal e-mail account – but got in a few digs at the Truss government as she left. (WP)
The Tories hope to put a new leader and PM in place within a week. Rishi Sunak, Terminator-style, says “I’ll be back!” and is the bookies’ favourite (BBC).
For Larry the cat – who was previously pictured sitting on the steps outside Number 10 but has gone from the mural – next week’s prime minister will be his fifth.
Hill Street, Belfast city centre
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Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
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Sacred Heart Boxing Academy
Sacred Heart Boxing Academy was housed in the parochial hall (shown in the middle of the mural) before closing perhaps because of safety concerns and/or debt.
Oldpark Avenue, north Belfast
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Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
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Boxing Champions
“Ardoyne-Bone boxers have punched well above their weight. As professional we have won … British, Commonwealth, European & W.B.U. titles. As amateurs we have won 3 Olympic bronze, European Gold, Commonwealth Gold, World Junior silver, 17 Irish senior titles & an A.B.A senior title. Nor forgetting all our boxing coaches, who put in their time and effort for all our young boxers. Truly amazing for such a small area.” The wide shot below shows the whole of this new Ardoyne/Ard Eoın mural celebrating local boxers; the boxers named are Darren Corbett (WP), John Kelly (FightsRec), Paddy Barnes (WP), Harry McAuley (BoxRec), Anthony Maguire, Hugh Gilhooley (BoxRec), Eamonn McAuley (BoxRec), Freddie Gilroy (WP), Terry Magee (WP), Sean Brown, Noel Magee (WP), Barney Burns, Pat Kelly, Eamonn Magee (WP).
This image shows the replacement set of painted boards; for the originals see A Small Area.
Ardoyne Avenue, north Belfast
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Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
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Those Who Can Endure The Most
“This wall is dedicated to all those ex prisoners that found themselves imprisoned as a result of British occupation of our country. The plaques on the wall are in memory of those former POW’s who have since passed away.”
The large carved stones are by Ardoyne republican Sean Colligan, who was interned during the troubles and spent his life as an activist in the area, particularly in organising the Ardyne Fleadh (via Saoirse32) and the murals in Ardoyne. He died of a heart attack (in 2004?).
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Paddy Duffy Collection 