The Scots In Ulster

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The name “Ulster-Scots” refers to the emigrants to North America from Ulster that had previously come from Scotland and the English borders, and most of the Ulster-Scots murals in the 2000s focused on emigration to America and on US Presidents with Scotch-Irish heritage (see the Visual History page of Ulster-Scots murals).

In 2017, a series of boards along York Street focused on industrialists in Northern Ireland with Scottish backgrounds: 13 panels in five posts: one | two | three | four | five. And this new collection of “Ulster-Scots” luminaries (which is 100 paces away) likewise presents figures who are associated with Northern Ireland rather than America. Modern folk such as those portrayed in these new boards presumably have Scottish heritage rather than Scotch-Irish. (The title of this entry – The Scots In Ulster – comes from a Discover Ulster Scots poster about the Scots who came to Ulster in the 1600s, regardless of whether or not they or their descendants later moved to America.)

From left to right, the people shown are as follows. (Links are to previous entries in the Extramural collection.)

Mountcollyer: motorcyclist Rex McCandless, author CS Lewis, physicist John Stewart Bell, song-writer Jimmy Kennedy, medical inventor Frank Pantridge

York Rd: snooker player Alex Higgins, singer Ruby Murray, soldier Blair Mayne, agricultural inventor Harry Ferguson, missionary Amy Carmichael

For the political tarp on the gable in the background, see Choose One Or The Other.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
T03832 T03834 T03833 T03837 T03836 T03835 T03838

Dorn San Aer

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Dorn san aer do na Gaeıl [a fist in the air for the Irish] Rónán Mac Aodha Bhuí 1970-2023”. Mac Aodha Bhuí joined Ráıdió Na Gaeltachta in the 1990s but was best known for his Rónán Beo@3 programme (which is inscribed on the ring on the first), which began in 2006. He was a passionate advocate for the Irish language. He died this past September after a four-year battle with cancer. (RTÉ | Irish Times | Donegal Daily)

The official launch of the mural will be at 2 p.m. on Friday (December 1st). Update: by the time of the launch a photograph of Mac Aodha Bhuí was added.

Click image to enlarge
T03680 [T03679] T03882
Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
Fallswater St

Our Homes Have Been Given To Foreigners

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The corner at Limestone Road and North Queen Street has been finding a biblical passage to express the jubilations and tribulations of God’s chosen people since 2016, when Revelations 18:4 was cited on the gable wall in support of Brexit; in 2021 this was changed to Psalms 95:7 – visible in the images in the wide shot, below – in reference to the chosen people’s soccer team, Rangers.

The lower wall used Genesis 38:28 to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation (2017), along with Luke 1:31-33 and 2 Samuel 7:16 to proclaim the everlasting Christian order; then in 2018 John 15:13 was used to mark the centenary of armistice that ended WWI in 1918; and in 2020 2 Chronicles 7:14 was deployed as an exhortation to pray to the Lord for relief from Covid-19.

And this brings us to the newest quotation, which places an Israeli flag above Lamentations 5:1-2: “Remember, Lord, what has happened to us; look, and see our disgrace./Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our homes to foreigners” (NIV). The lamentation is for Jerusalem, which in 589-586 BCE was besieged and overrun by the Babylonians and the Jews exiled to Babylon. The present-day analogue would presumably be the Hamas attacks on October 7th, 2023, against communities and bases near the Gaza Strip, in which around 1,200 people were killed (Reuters) and approximately 240 people were taken hostage (NYTimes).

It is not clear whether a further analogy with the Protestants of Northern Ireland is intended. This one might be simply to express support with the Israelis.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
T03831 T03830

Patrick Rooney

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Murdered by RUC”. Nine-year-old Patrick Rooney was the first child to be killed during the Troubles, when he was hit by a bullet from a Browning machine-gun mounted on an RUC whippet (Shorland armoured car – see a picture at the Police Ombudsman’s report) on the night of August 14-15, 1969, hours before the British Army arrived in Northern Ireland in reponse to the Battle Of The Bogside (Derry). (Irish Times | BBC)

RTÉ has footage of Rooney’s funeral.

The board was unveiled in November by the RNU (Fb), replacing the Rook O’Prey board. There is a plaque to Rooney and Hugh McCabe, who died the same night, on the remaining flat, Divis tower (M02005).

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
T03828 T03829 Falls Rd

Tilaka

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Verz’s (ig) Hindu man was paint-bombed while it was in progress (Reddit | Xitter) and has been paint-bombed again since its completion. The mural is on the side of the Hospice Shop in Finaghy, with sponsorship from Arts Ekta (ig) “a social enterprise passionate about promoting cultural diversity” (web) who organise Belfast Mela. The vandalism is being investigated as a hate crime (Belfast Media).

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
T03826

In Crumlin They Paint On Main Street

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Here are the painted shutters of ten different businesses along Main Street in Crumlin, Co. Antrim. The Crumlin Youth mural is on Glenavy Road – it is presumably by Blaze FX (Fb) who also did the interlocking rings for Stylus Engraving.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2024 Paddy Duffy
T03810 [T03811] [T03812] T03813 T03814 T03815 T03816 T03817 [T03818] T03819 T03820 T03821 T03822 T03823 T03824 [T03825]

Ignite Tradition

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“A taste of tradition: Whiterock flute band. Est. 1962. West Belfast, Northern Ireland. New Barnsley, Moyard, Springmartin, Woodvale, Whiterock, Springfield, Highfield, Shankill.” The Whiterock Flute Band board at the top of the Shankill has been updated to reflect the changing of the monarch – the passing of Queen Elizabeth II and the accession of Charles III – and also to mark the band’s 60th anniversary in 2022.

The memorial to Elizabeth on the left-hand side replaces the memorial to Alex Thompson (seen in 2021) which had been appended to the 50th anniversary board (A Taste Of Tradition). Thompson is included at the top of the next column, “recognition of loyal service”. The columns on either side of the emblem show photographs from the various deacdes, including the 50th anniversary celebrations. Above the doorways are the names of “members past and present” above drawings by local children of “my favourite image” and a link for the band’s music.

“Embrace the past. Ignite tradition. Inspire the future.” Whiterock Flute Band appear to have fallen under the influence of a public-relations consultant.

November 21st:

September 18th, 2022:

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
T03809 [T03798]
T03799 T03800 T03801 T03802 T03803 T03804 T03805
T03808 T03806 T03807
T03763 [T03764]
T00896 [T00897]
community cohesion with local children

Up The Cregagh

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

If you’re riding Shank’s mare, the combined length of the Cregagh and Woodstock roads is two miles; where they meet (opposite Ravenhill Avenue) you’ll find this new street-art by Zippy (ig) with support from Decowell Restoration (web), Bethany Fruit (web) and Astrl Fibres (ig), and funding from Belfast City Council).

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
T03791c [T03792] [T03793]

Beırıgí Bua

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“I measc laochra na nGael go raıbh sıad.” Profiles of Patricia Black, Frankie Ryan, Michael Ferguson, and Sean Keenan were added in late 2021 (video of launch) to the pair of existing monuments that memorialise them in Colin/Poleglass (for which see The Undauntable Thought on Peter’s site).

Black and Ryan were IRA volunteers killed by in a premature bomb explosion near London (An Phoblacht).

Michael Ferguson and Seán Keenan were activists and Sınn Féın councillors. Both died in 2006 of cancer (Irish Times | Bel Tel).

On Pantridge Road, which runs down to Michael Ferguson roundabout (An Phoblacht).

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
T01507 T01506 T01505 T01504
T01510 [T01509] T01511