ABOD

Ballee Blues And Royals Flute Band

Extramural Activity1 Comment

“Ballee Blues And Royals Flute Band, est. 1987” with a list of the Apprentice Boys (on the left) and (on the right) seven streets in the area (Drumtara, Lettercreeve, Kincora, Shanowen, Shancoole, Shanlieve, Lanntara) and the six counties of Northern Ireland. The emblem in the centre is the arm badge of the Blues & Royals (the British Army regiment), featuring the (French) Waterloo Eagle – here carrying a flute. The band does not appear to have persisted past 2012 has since changed its name – see comment below. Drumtara, Ballymena.

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Copyright © 2007 Peter Moloney

Vita, Veritas, Victa

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South Belfast MP Robert Bradford was assassinated by the Provisional IRA in Finaghy at a meeting with constituents; the caretaker of the community centre, Ken Campbell, was also killed by the fleeing attackers. In late 1981, with the hunger strikes having ended only a month before, the killing was noted around the world and raised fears of broad civil unrest (BBC | NYTimes).

“Vita, veritas, Victoria” [life, truth, victory] is the motto of Londonderry. Here we have “vita, veritas, victa” [life, truth, conquered; perhaps the intended meaning was “conquering” rather than the passive]. The crest is also not quite the crest of the Apprentice Boys, with a ship in the bottom right rather than a skeleton. Get in touch if you can resolve either discrepancy.

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Copyright © 2001 Peter Moloney

The Brave Thirteen

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A small board and two murals in the Fountain, London-Derry. The board has the city of Derry crest on it surrounded by Ulster banner, Union jack, St Andrew’s Saltire, and Apprentice Boys flag; the first mural lists the names of the thirteen apprentice boys; the second is a William King Memorial flute band “founded 1973”, again with the crest of the city.

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Copyright © 1996 Peter Moloney

Vita, Veritas, Victoria

Extramural Activity1 Comment

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Three loyalist emblems in a row in Bond’s Place, London-/Derry. first, the crest of the city of Londonderry – “Vita, Veritas, Victoria”. Second, the insignia of four loyalist groups (UFF, UDA, LPA, UDF) in the quarters of an Ulster Banner shield. (See Sans Peur Fountain, Sans Peur Percy Street.) Third, the insignia of the UDA, present in 1985 along with a King William.

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Copyright © 1990 Peter Moloney

United We Stand, Divided We Fall

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The Siege and Relief of Derry are portrayed in two panels painted by J[?] Thompson, and the names of the thirteen Apprentice boys who closed the gates to the city are given in the middle: Campsie, Crookshanks, Morison, Steward, Irwin, Sherrard, Harvy, Cairns, Sherrard, Cunningham, Conninghman, Hunt, Spike. To the left and right are shields of brethren around the world: England, America, Australia, Quebec, and Éire. Sandy Row, Belfast

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Copyright © 1990 Peter Moloney