Paddy Duffy Collection

Community Enterprises

2026-07-052026-07-06Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Smiley-faced flowers on the shutters of Donegall Pass Community Enterprises (web).

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Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
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King Billy’s On The Wall

2026-07-052026-07-08Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The “Roden Street Bonfire And Cultural Festival 2026” has events every day this week, leading up fireworks and the lighting of the bonfire on the Eleventh (Fb). This new board, at the Donegall Road end of Roden Street, was unveiled on June 28th (Fb video).

“William III and II, also known as William of Orange, was the sovereign Prince of Orange from birth, Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel in the Dutch Republic from 1672, and King of England, Ireland, and Scotland from 1689 until his death in 1702.”

“Historical Significance. The Glorious Revolution: William was invited by English Protestant leaders to invade England depose his Catholic father-in-law, King James II. Battle of the Boyne (1690): He secured his rule in Ireland by defeating James II’s forces at this pivotal battle. Constitutional Monarchy: His reign with his wide, Mary II, marked a shift toward parliamentary power through the 1689 Bill of Rights.
Cultural Legacy. The Orange Order: A Protestant fraternal organisation named in his honour, which celebrates his victory at the Boyne annually on The Twelfth (July 12). Iconography: He is famoulsy depicted on murals in Northern Ireland, often riding a white horse and wearing an orange sash. Place Names: He is the namesake of Williamsburg, Virginia, and the College of William and Mary. ‘Remember 1690 – King Billy’s on the Wall [youtube]'”

The portrait of William on the left is by Godfrey Kneller and part of the collection in the National Gallery Of Scotland.

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Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
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Ulster’s American Connection

2026-07-042026-07-08Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The United States Of America celebrates the 250th anniversary of its adoption of the Declaration Of Independence today, July 4th, 2026. In the Declaration, delegates from the thirteen (former) colonies set out their reasons for voting to overthrow British rule on July 2nd, noting twenty-seven grievances against the reigning monarch, George III of Great Britain And Ireland. At the time, the American Revolution was ongoing, and the Continental Congress meeting this time in Philadelphia was soon compelled to move to Baltimore, Maryland; the permanent Congress was not established until 1781.

On the left of the board, various symbols of the eventual United States Of America – John Trumbull’s painting ‘Declaration Of Independence’ (image at WP) and a bald eagle upon a Stars And Stripes formed by an outline of the eastern sea-board (which for an unknown reason lists New Castle (not “Newcastle”) alongside Philadelphia), the Liberty Bell, an “America 250 years” pin, the Seal, the Declaration, and a trapper or frontiersman who represents the westward expansion of European Americans – including the Scotch-Irish (Ulster Sails West) – across the continent.

The “liberty and law” emblem, with the red hand against the stars and stripes, surrounded by a garland of thistle and shamrock, is unknown.

The seated gentleman is James Hoban, a Catholic from Co Kilkenny, who studied architecture in Dublin and (after emigrating in 1878) designed the White House – a three-storey model (later reduced to two) is on the desk behind his quill – and (in the framed picture behind him) the Charleston (South Carolina) court-house.

In the centre is a quote attributed to James Buchanan, “My Ulster blood is my most priceless heritage”; for confusion over the quote see James Buchanan. Buchanan is also pictured (next to the word “Donegal”). The Great Seal was designed by Charles Thomson, originally from Maghera. He was also a signatory to the Declaration.

The crown above the red hand is probably the Tudor Crown, destroyed in 1649 (WP). A bed of shamrock supports the title banner.

The Ulster-Scots lineage of seventeen presidents (plus vice-president Andrew Calhoun) is presented along the bottom between the mottos “E pluribus unum” and “In God we trust”. (The Ulster-Scots Agency has a pdf of the Presidents.)

On the right, the poster marked “Eagle’s Wings”, under the Buchanan quote, also appears to come from the Ulster-Scots Agency. It is actually about the Eagle Wing, the ship pictured to the poster’s left (as imagined by water-colour painter Dan Parsons) that undertook the first voyage of Scots-Irish to North America in 1636. The journey was not a success: the roughly 140 dissenters returned to Ireland and some went to Scotland to avoid continued persecution (Presbyterian History.)

The ‘Blue Plaques’ of various notable figures are superimposed upon a period map: John Wallace Crawford, Francis Makemie, James McGregor, Charles Thomson, John Dunlap, Ezekiel Donnell, James Buchanan, Oliver Pollock, Thomas J ‘Stonewall’ Jackson, Robert Adrain, James Holmes. The portraits are of James Buchanan, Teddy Roosevelt (above Andrew Jackson’s ancestral cottage in Carrickfergus), Davey Crockett, and an unknown female figure (comment/get in touch if you can identify her).

The gravestone is to the Rev William Martin, a Reformed Presbyterian (Covenanter) minister, who led a contingent of 1,000 people in five ships in 1772 to Charlestown, South Carolina (Reformation History | History Ireland). The flag is the flag of the Covenanters (WP).

Lawnbrook Avenue, upper Shankill, west Belfast

For two other celebrations of USA 250, see the Visual History page on Ulster-Scots Murals.

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Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
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From The Road To The Somme

2026-07-012026-07-20Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“1914 West Belfast regiment, Ulster Volunteer Force – 36th (Ulster) division, Royal Irish Rifles.” Men from the West Belfast Ulster Volunteers – which included the Shankill and Woodvale areas – joined the 9th battalion of the Royal Irish Rifles, which became part of the 107th brigade of the 36th division.

The main part of this new gable-sized board places two colourised photographs on top of each other. The first (upper) photo shows shows the first and second battalions of the West Down regiment being presented with their colours in May, 1914 (CyberProd). The second (lower) photo shows the first and second battalions of the West Belfast regiment receiving the Kings colours in May, 1914 (CyberProd).

In the bottom left corner is a poem called “Sons of Ulster” written on a scroll: “Muster round me Sons of Ulster,/And pay heed to what I speak,/Of the war to end all wars,/In the place where hell is deep.//Go and help to save the Empire,/Glorious deeds shall Ulster reap./Go and fight for King and Country,/In the place where hell is deep.//The order goes out – “Fix Bayonets!”/As Zero Hour does creep,/Ulster’s prime stands tall in line,/In the place where hell is deep.//No-Man’s Land hears a whistling band,/From Thiepval Wood they sweep./The crosses grow where the Ancre flows,/In the place where hell is deep.//With bomb and gun they repelled the Hun,/The Redoubt they die to keep./They fought as one did Ulster’s Sons,/In the place where hell is deep.//To the Glory of God on this sacred sod,/Where Ulster’s Blood does seep,/Yours and mine slaughtered like swine,/In the place where hell is deep.//Death patiently waits in this stalemate,/For Ulster’s love will weep,/The poppies grow where the Ancre flows,/In the place where hell is deep.”

In the bottom right, the Ulster Tower is dedicated: “‘Field Marshall Sir Henry Hughes Wilson, 1st Baronet, GCB, DSO, MP, Colonel Commandant, Rifle Brigade, Chief Of The Imperial General Staff. Field Marshall Sir Henry Hughes Wilson of County Longford, was one of the most senior British Staff Officers to serve int he First World War. On 18th November 1921, in the stead of Sir Edward Carson and Sir James Craig, who were both ill at the time, Sir Henry undertook the solemn duty of dedicating the newly constructed Ulster Memorial Tower, on the site of the Somme battlefield. Tragically, on 22nd June 1922, Sir Henry, who also served as a Unionist politician, was assassinated outside his London home.”

Conway Street, Shankill, west Belfast, replacing Ulster Tower.

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Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
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Pass Loning

2026-06-302026-07-17Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Donegall Pass began life in the late 1600s as a lane-way (loning, loney, loanen) made by one of the early earls of Donegall (the first three of whom were all called Arthur Chichester) through what was then Cromack Woods (Library Ireland). The woods are remembered in local street-names such as Walnut Street, Elm, Street, Pine Way (which are all included in the mural), as well as Cromac Street itself.

Clara Copley was born in Rotherham, moved to Liverpool, and then to Belfast c. 1900, where she lived for about fifty years. Her career was a colourful one that included running a fish-and-chip stall, an amusement arcade, a waxworks, a theatre, and a boxing ring, which was initially unlicensed but made official in 1936, when Copley was aged 70. She retired to a house in Donegall Pass where she died in 1949; there is a ‘blue plaque’ at the site (with an incorrect date of birth, faithfully reproduced here) in her memory. (DIB)

Shore Crescent Bonfire

2026-06-302026-07-02Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Shore Crescent prepares for Eleventh Night with a bonfire and a large sign explaining the positive impact of the tradition:

“Shore Crescent bonfire – a proud loyalist tradition. Standing firm in our heritage, our loyalty & our values. Faith – loyalty – respect – heritage. [The bonfire …] Celebrates our heritage – honours our history, culture and the sacrifices made by those who went before us; strengthens our community – brings families, friends and neighbours together, building unity, pride and a sense of belonging; affirms our loyalty – a clear and proud expression of our loyalty to the Crown and the United Kingdom; educates & remembers – teaches future generations the importance of our traditions and the true meaning behind them; promotes respect & pride – shows respect for our values and beliefs and promotes pride in being Loyalist; supports local [groups] & raises funds – helps support local groups, charities and initiatives that make a real difference; secures our future – by standing together today, we protect our identity, freedom and way of life for tomorrow. One tradition. One community. One loyal people. Shore Crescent loyal.”

Next to Loughside Playground, Shore Road, north Belfast

Our Present Fight

2026-06-282026-07-23Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“[Scaoıl] saor Niall Sheerin anoıs”, “Republican prisoners still exist”. Niall Sheerin was imprisoned for seven years for possession of the weapon that police believe was used by the New IRA to shoot Lyra McKee in April, 2019 (BBC). The calls for his release have been prompted by Sheerin reaching the 50% mark of his stretch and becoming eligible for parole. (RN | Fb video of a protest | a Newry billboard (BBC) (previously used for Don’t Forget The Palestinian Children).

“We must see our present fight right through to the very end – Bobby Sands IRA volunteer”. The quote does appear to be genuine, though its source is unknown, suggesting it was in a Marcella column in AP/RN. An extended version reads, “We must see our present fight right through to the very end. Generations will continue to meet the same fate unless the perennial oppressor – Britain – is removed, for she will unashamedly and mercilessly continue to maintain her occupation and economic exploitation of Ireland to judgment day, if she is not halted and ejected.” (Leave a comment/send an e-mail is you can provide the source.)

The ‘barbed wire’ emblem is from the IRPWA (web) and the ‘sunburst’ from Saoradh (web). The ‘green ribbon’ is a generic symbol of republican political prisoners going back to the ceasefire era (see the Peter Moloney Collection) and the ‘Easter lily’ of Irish republicanism. (There is a small Sheela-Na-Gig/Síle-Na-Gıgh plaque next to the lily, possibly part of Project Sheela (web).) The ‘clenched fist’ is the same fist as appeared in the old (1994) Battle Of The Bogside mural.

Lecky Road, Bogside, Derry