Paddy Duffy Collection

Herbie McCallum

2022-09-182024-07-22Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The memorial to Brian “Herbie” McCallum at the top of Ainsworth Avenue received a major upgrade late last year, with two new plaques and a mural (shown above).

The long plaque reads: “June 1993 brought extreme Republican violence and agitation surrounding the annual Orange Whiterock parade, which was travelling its traditional route past this very spot and onto the Springfield Road. The threat being so severe to this community, the 1st Belfast Battalion Ulster Volunteer Force deployed several armed active service units. Herbie being Herbie was first to volunteer for duty. Realising the grenade he had been issued with had malfunctioned and giving absolutely no consideration for his own safety, he carried the device to a safe location, away from men, women and children. This one selfless act costs Herbie his life when the grenade detonated prematurely. Volunteer Brian “Herbie” McCallum died 29th June 1993. Sadly missed by his family friends and comrades. Rest easy soldier your duty is done. For God and Ulster.” McCallum died three days after the explosion.

The plaque from the original memorial (which dates back to 1994) has also been retained (above the one shown next, below): see Some Day Soon We’ll March Proudly On Parade.

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Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
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Third-Class Citizens

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Hugh Smyth OBE was born in the Woodvale area and represented the upper Shankill as an Independent Unionist and then a Progressive Unionist in Belfast City Council for forty-one years, until the year before his death in May 2014, including a term as Lord mayor in 1994-1995 – he is pictured in the main image (above) in his mayoral robes.

The portrait on the right (shown solo below) was taken by Bobbie Hanvey and is kept in a Boston College archive; more from the archive of 50,000 images can be seen at BC.edu and on Flickr.

As the quote (shown in the final image below) indicates, his politics were oriented towards the working class: “Historically, Unionist politicians fed their electorate the myth that they were first class citizens… and without question people believed them. Historically, Republican/Nationalist politicians fed their electorate the myth that they were second class citizens… and without question the people believed them. In reality, the truth of the matter was that we all, Protestant and Catholic, were third class citizen, and none of us realised it!” The board was officially launched on June 19th, 2014.

Replaces 90 Years Of Resistance.

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Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
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Ordinary People, Extraordinary Roles

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“This plaque is dedicated to the memory of Lieutenant Colonel Trevor King, died 9th July 1994, Major William (Frenchie) Marchant, died 28th April 1987, Volunteer David Hamilton, Died 17th June 1994. These brave men died near this spot [the corner of Spier’s Place and Shankill Road, west Belfast] by the enemies of Ulster. No sacrifice is too great for one’s country. They paid the ultimate sacrifice. ‘They shall grow not old/as we that are left grow old/Age shall not weary them nor the years condemn/At the going down of the sun and in the morning/We will remember them.’” King and Hamilton (along with Colin Craig, an RUC informer and not included on the plaque) were shot by the INLA and died of their wounds three weeks and one day later. Frenchie Marchant (in the middle of the image above) was shot by the IRA outside The Eagle chip shop.

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Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
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IRA – Sinn Fein – ISIS

2022-09-182025-10-09Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

A gallery of scenes from IRA bombings surrounds the Bayardo memorial arch, the centre-piece of which are two images from the 2015 paris bombings (shown above). “IRA – Sinn Fein – ISIS no difference”. In an interview for the USA’s PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) the DUP’s Sammie Wilson said he agreed with the equivalence.

Alexander Minto Howell was killed outside the Bayardo bar by the British Army.

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Mussen Cortège

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“Richard Mussen joined the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (27th foot) at the age of 15. At the outbreak of the Zulu wars he volunteered for active service and was transferred to the Second Battalion The South Wales Borderers (24th foot). At the outbreak of the Great War he joined the 9th Battalion Royal Ulster Rifles and with him went his 4 sons and 2 sons-in-law. His son Richard (junior) was killed at the Somme on Thursday 21st March, 1918 and is remembered at Pozieres Memorial. Richard Mussen was buried from 22 Dundee Street [which was just above Agnes Street] on 29/12/1936 and was accorded full Military Honours. He was laid to rest in Belfast City Cemetery.” (From the companion plaque.)

Here is a short NVTv documentary about Mussen, including (at 12m25s) the image on which the mural shown here is based. The mural was done with spray paint by artist Sam Bates a.k.a. SMUG. It was unveiled on June 24th, 2011.

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Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
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Let Ambition Fire Thy Mind

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This new Shankill Road installation makes mention of “William and Mary”, Mary being co-monarch with her cousin William from 1689 to 1694, when she died of smallpox. She was raised Anglican, though her parents (including father James II, whom William defeated at the Boyne) had converted to Catholicism in the 1660s. Although the fifteen year-old Mary wept when the marriage was announced, she remained loyal to William and to “Church and State” when James was deposed (WP).

“King William III Prince of Orange 1650-1702. In God is my trust.” “This artwork celebrates the victory of William III over James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 “The battle of the two Kings”. The williamite ranks were filled with Irish protestants and international troops, William encouraged the hearts of his troops on the morning of the battle when he called to them “LET AMBITION FIRE THY MIND” on seeing the opposing army of James II, William exclaimed with delight “Ah I am glad to see you gentlemen; if you escape me now, the fault will be mine” they followed him to victory.”

In the background can be seen SMUG’s Mussen Cortège.

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Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
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Blues Brothers

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Linfield FC are Irish Cup champions after a 2-1 victory over Larne last Friday (May 21st) (Belfast Live). They are also, as of Tuesday, premier league champions for the 55th time, matching Glasgow Rangers in Scotland for the most league championships in the world. (See previously: We Are The People | Respect Heritage Culture | Welcome To The Ulster Rangers | F*ck Your Ten In A Row | Terminus Rangers)

For the “Finucane Family” tarp (on the wall since 2019), see Steeped In Blood. For the lower tarp, see Choose One Or The Other!

Only In The Movies

2022-09-182024-07-22Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Young people from the Lower Shankill pose in the style of a movie poster: “You must have dreams and goals if you are ever going to achieve anything in this world.” The info panel (shown below) incorrectly states that the board replaces a loyalist H-Block mural (of which there were two versions: yellow (M02473) | orange) and, before that, a UDU-UFF-UDA mural; these were on different walls and this board replaces only the Maze mural.

This is the second of five pieces of re-imaging in the lower Shankill. The first was I Am Not Resilient.

A True Soldier Of Ulster

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“On a cold Friday afternoon in February 1989, a young Red Hand Commando volunteer, Stevie McCrea, gave up his life to save others during an attack by the IPLO – a republican drug gang – at the Orange Cross Club just off the Shankill Road. Stevie, who was celebrating his last day on a work-out scheme with friends, went to the club for a farewell drink. A short time later, after gaining access through the outer door of the club, three IPLO gunmen burst into the main bar and started shooting indiscriminately. Stevie reacted immediately, placing himself between the gunmen and his friends. He was shot a number of times. Sadly he died from his injuries two days later. Stevie, even as a young man was a willing and active volunteer for the RHC, which culminated with him being arrested in October 1972 and being sentenced to life imprisonment early in 1973. Stevie served 16 years as a political prisoner in Long Kesh. He thoughtlessly gave up his life for others. A true soldier of Ulster. Forever remembered by friends and comrades. Lamh dearg abu.”

The obituary in the March 1998 issue of Combat states that McCrea was no longer in the RHC after his release from prison.

This new photographic mural, with “Loyalist Compound 21, Long Kesh prison camp” as a background, replaces a painted one to McCrea that had stood since 2000.