Paddy Duffy Collection

Heroes Not Criminals

2023-09-152024-08-27Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Loyalist Glebeside Stands by Soldier F – Our veterans are HEROES not criminals.” Despite the support of Ballymoney loyalists, a court in Derry ruled in mid-December that Soldier F would stand trial on two murder charges and five attempted murders (BBC | BBC video), ahead of the forthcoming implementation of new legislation that would exempt former British Army personnel from prosecution (see Bill Of Shame).

The tarp is next to the Causeway-style UDA memorial in Alexandra Avenue: “This garden of reflection is dedicated to the sacred memory of all patriots from North Antrim who in times of danger rose up in defence of their beloved Ulster – Let us who follow remember them with pride. Quis separabit. Lindsay Mooney, Benny Redfern, Cecil McKnight, Gary Lynch, Ray Smallwoods, William Campbell.”

The same six are listed in The Terror, Threats, And Dread, In Defence Of Our Civil And Religious Liberties, and In Glorious Memory.

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Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
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Daddy’s Home

2023-09-152024-10-03Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

There was previously a mural of the UDA emblem and flags on the substation on the Loughanhill side of Ballysally (Coleraine) (seen in The Hell They Call Highwood) which has now been replaced by the painting of a daughter greeting her father who is returning home after “Victory 1914-1918”. There is also a new version of the painting of the attack on Highwood, as seen below.

The style of the paintings and their frames is the same as the panels in Footsteps Through Our History.

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Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy

Fifty Years Of Service

2023-09-152024-08-27Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Here is a survey of the UDA boards in Carnany estate, Ballymoney. Many of these have been seen before (in Ulster’s Past Defenders, Ulster’s Present Defenders, The Terror, Threats, And Dread, and Ballymoney UDA). The anti-drugs board in the final image is new (see previously the one in Londonderry: Peace Impact Programme) and the one shown above and immediately below is an updated version of the board shown in Past, Present, For All Time. The dates given in the earlier version were 1972 and 2016; in this one, for “50 years of service”, they are 1971 and 2021. 1971 is the typical date given for the formation (in Belfast) of the the UDA; the 1972 date might have been a specific reference to the North Antrim And Londonderry brigade or the beginning of the Londonderry UDA’s actions, with bomb attacks on a factory and a pub in Donegal in October and November, 1972 (WP).

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Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
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“The blood our comrades shed shall not have been in vain. We honour Ulster’s dead and staunch we will remain.” better to die on your knees than live in an Irish republic don’t let drugs destroy your community declaration of arbroath

Cloughfern Young Conquerors 50th

2023-09-112024-08-27Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

For their “50th anniversary 1973-2023” the Cloughfern Young Conquerors (Fb) mounted a new board on the wall of the Eastway social club in Rathcoole; a parade and fun day took place on August 19th (Fb).

Back in June, a mural was painted on the long wall at the entrance to Cloughfern; see 50 Years Unbroken.

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Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
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Look Back With Pride

2023-09-112024-08-27Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Queen Elizabeth II, her sovereign majesty, 1926-2022. ‘I believe that, young or old, we have to look forward to with confidence and hope as we have to look back [on] with pride.'”

This is the mural that controversially replaced the infamous ‘Rathcoole towers’ UDA mural that had stood for more than 20 years in Bencrom Park (see South East Antrim UFF). Apparently, some people thought Queen Elizabeth was not hard-line enough (BelTel).

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Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
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Bill Of Shame

2023-09-092024-08-27Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Stand against the legacy legislation – state murder is murder! – bill of shame”

The UK parliament adopted the “Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023” on Septetmber 6th and it became law on the 18th, preventing future inquests and civil cases. Twenty challenges have been lodged against the bill and a hearing is due to begin on November 20th with a primary focus on whether or not the bill is compatible with the European Convention On Human Rights (ITv | BBC). In the meantime – prior to the May 1st, 2024 deadline — the Springhill-Westrock inquest continues on Monday (RFJ).

This mural showing Lady Justice gagged but with a raised fist, by Iliana Edwards (ig), is on a wall outside the offices of Relatives For Justice (web).

Update: February 28, 2024: The High Court has ruled against the Act (BBC).

See previously: a call to a rally in September.

The Skins

2023-09-052024-08-27Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The Inniskilling Fusiliers were recruited from the four Ulster counties of Fermanagh, Tyrone, Derry, and Donegal. In WWI, battalions also served in the 4th, 29th, and 10th Divisions, as well as the 109 Brigade of the 36th Division. In WWII (represented here by the Spitfire in pursuit of the Messerschmitt) the Fusiliers served in France, India, and Italy. (Ciroca | Long Trail | WP)

(For a broader history, from the Williamite campaign to modern Afghanistan, see Inniskilling.)

This Tyndale mural appears to have be painted without fanfare in 2022.

Leaders Of Unionism Against Home Rule

2023-09-032025-03-11Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Carson, Crawford, and Craig are lionised as resisters of devolvement of Ireland to Dublin in the early twentieth century. Despite calling Home Rule “the most nefarious conspiracy that has ever been hatched against a free people” and vowing to fight it by “all means necessary”, including the Ulster Volunteers armed by Crawford’s “guns for Ulster”, Edward Carson “warned Ulster Unionist leaders not to alienate norther Catholics, as he foresaw this would make Northern Ireland unstable.”