Our Demands Most Moderate Are

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The sixteen-year old Sinn Féin Trade Union Dept mural has been replaced (though the plaque remains in the top right-hand corner) with another mural featuring James Connolly but with a new quote, from his 1907 poem: “Our demands most moderate are/We only want the earth.” The Irish Worker headline reads “Belfast ITGWU organiser Connolly gets 905 votes municipal elections”, referring to the municipal elections of 1913 – Connolly stood in the Dock Ward (SIPTU).

Rockmount Street, Belfast

M08082 [M08083] [M08084] [M08085] [M08086]

Copyright © 2012 Peter Moloney

Civil And Religious Liberty For All

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Take pride in your history and culture”, namely: the Siege Of Derry and the Battle Of The Boyne (from the Jackson Mural in the Fountain); flute bands (Shankill Protestant Boys, Shankill Star, Pride Of The Shankill, Ulster Girls, Young Conway Volunteers, Pride Of Ardoyne, Warkworth Purple Star, Hillview, Shankill Road Defenders, Pride Of The West, West Belfast Volunteers, Sons Of Ulster, Pink Ladies (Ulster), Whiterock, Shankill Fusiliers, Britannia); Royal Black and Orange Order parades (marching past the Guildhall in Londonderry and the Clifton Street lodge in Belfast), 11th night bonfires, supporting the Northern Ireland soccer team, lambeg drumming, playing the pipes, accordion playing – with Union flags and bunting throughout.

For ‘in-progress’ shots, see the post at Extramural Activity.

The title phrase previously appeared in Thorndyke Street.

Cambrai Street, Belfast

M08228 [M08229] [M08230] [M08231] [M08232] [M08233] [M08234] [M08235] [M08236] [M08237] [M08238] [M08239] [M08240]

Copyright © 2012 Peter Moloney

The Balmoral Review

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“100 years – 1912-20212 – the Balmoral Review”. Debate on the third Home Rule bill long preceded its formal introduction on April 11th. Winston Churchill and others travelled to Belfast in February to speak in its favour (see RIC At Celtic Park) and on April 9th (Easter Tuesday) 100,000 unionists rallied in Balmoral show grounds for review by Bonar Law, the head of the Conservative party – here is a postcard of the Wicklow contingent. (For more photographs, see Balmoral Review Review.) The 2012 commemoration drew about 10,000 people to Ormeau Park (Slugger).

The hoarding is in Lawnbrook Avenue, the small boards are in Conway Street, Belfast.

M08226 [M08227] M08626 M08627 M08628

Copyright © 2012 Peter Moloney

Vol. Sam Rockett

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“In proud and loving memory of Vol. Samuel Rockett, ‘B’ Coy 1st Belfast battalion, Young Citizen Volunteers. Murdered by cowards 23rd August 2000. ‘At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them.’ ‘Here lies a soldier'”

The “cowards” in this case are the members of the UDA who killed Rockett (born June 21st, 1979) in front of his girlfriend and 18 month old child in an attack on her house in the lower Oldpark, during the feud between the UVF and UDA, sparked by Johnny Adair’s “loyalist day of culture” and removal of the UVF from the lower Shankill. In response to the purge (and attacks on the Rex bar), the UVF killed Bobby Mahood and Mr Jackie Coulter. Rockett was killed by the UDA in retaliation for their deaths; 1,000 people attended Rockett’s funeral (Irish Times). After Rockett died, the UVF killed David Greer, and the UDA then killed PUP member Bertie Rice in Tiger’s Bay on October 31st.

Disraeli Street, Belfast

M02727a [M02728] [M08241] [M08242] [M08243]

Copyright © 2012 Peter Moloney