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Name
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James McCurrie Robert Neill Memorial Garden |
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Address
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Lower Newtownards Road, Ballymacarrett. |
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Group/Individual Commemorated
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Protestants killed on 27th and 28th June 1970 by IRA snipers based in St. Matthew's Chapel in Short Strand. Protestants killed in West and North Belfast on the same day by IRA snipers. |
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Commissioned By
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East Belfast Historical and Cultural Society. |
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Date of Erection
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2003 |
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Description
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Sign at the main entrance reads: "James McCurrie Robert Neill Memorial Garden commissioned by East Belfast Historical and Cultural Society 2003". Central granite stone reads: "27th/28th June 1970 That night in a planned and unprovoked attack, the Provisional I.R.A. introduced guns on to the streets of East Belfast from the sanctuary of St. Matthew's Chapel and surrounding area. They murdered James (Jimmy) McCurrie and Robert (Ginger) Neill also wounding 28 other men, women and children."; at the bottom - two small plaques bearing the names McCurrie and Neill. On the wall behind there are a series of black granite plaques, running from left to right as follows: 1) "Ardalaun St."; 2) "Tommy Reid died 3rd July 1970 as a result of injuries sustained on 27th June 1970 at Mayo Street Remember the Fallen"; 3) "MURDER MOST FOUL 27th/28th June 1970 As I look back in my mind's eye/I see a night that makes me cry/That Saturday started like any day/People shopping and children at play/Later that night as darkness fell/PIRA opened up like something from hell/Man, woman and child had to dive/ It's a wonder many escaped alive/A woman was shot at Wolff Street/Blood on the ground, all around her feet/As the ambulance arrived to take her away/A wounded man inside was heard to pray/From St. Matthew's Chapel with murderous intent/PIRA kept firing till every bullet was spent/From the tower where the bells kept their silent peel/It's from here PIRA shot dead Bobby Neill/Making his way home in a hurry/PIRA shot dead Jimmy McCurrie/As he lay at the Beechfield School Gate/The wounded kept rising till it reached twenty-eight/When I look back in the light of day/There can be no compromise with the IRA/This date should be burned in our brain/East Belfast cannot let this happen again - W.J. Magee - 2002"; 4) "Danny Loughins Sandy Gould Billy Kincaid Murdered by P.I.R.A. Woodvale Area 27th June 1970 Always Remembered"; 5) "Central St." |
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Name
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Long, Cordner, Seymour and Bennett - UVF |
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Address
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Fraser Pass, off Ballymacarrett Road, Ballymacarrett. |
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Group/Individual Commemorated
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Ulster Volunteer Force - Joe Long, James Cordner, Robert Seymour and Robert Bennett. |
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Commissioned By
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Pitt Park Company, East Belfast Battalion, Ulster Volunteer Force. |
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Date of Erection
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Spring 2003 |
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Description
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Wrought iron gates with two red poppies and "We Will Remember" worked into them. Granite plaque shows the UVF emblem and reads: "In proud memory of fallen comrades Capt. Joe Long Vol. James (Milky) Cordner Vol. Robert (Squeak) Seymour Vol. Robert Bennett "Lest we forget" ". UVF symbol set in the pavement outside the small memorial garden. |
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Name
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St. Matthew's Chapel |
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Address
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Flanking St. Matthew's Chapel, Short Strand. |
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Group/Individual Commemorated
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Deceased members from the St. Matthew's Parish. |
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Commissioned By
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Not known. |
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Date of Erection
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Not known [2000]. |
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Description
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Stone celtic cross with the inscription: "Jubilee Iubhaile A.D. 2000 This memorial cross is dedicated to the memory of all the deceased members from St. Matthew's Parish especially those who died as a result of the conflict in our country. Always remembered with love and respect by their families, friends and parishioners. Mary Queen of Peace, pray for us. (Irish translation follows). May they all rest in peace. (Irish translation follows)". |
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Notes
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This is the only memorial to the casualties of the conflict found so far within the grounds of a religious building, both Catholic and Protestant. |
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Name
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UDA, 4th Battalion Castlereagh, East Belfast Brigade |
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Address
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Kenbaan Street, off Beersbridge Road, Ballymacarrett. |
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Mural
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40. 1397, 1399, 1398 and 1400 |
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Group/Individual Commemorated
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Fallen Volunteers of 4th Battalion Castlereagh, East Belfast Brigade, Ulster Defence Association. |
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Commissioned By
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Not known [UDA]. |
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Date of Erection
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Not known. |
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Description
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Series of three black granite plaques. Central plaque presents the UDA symbol and reads: "In memory of those murdered and killed (list stating name, date and age of death follows) Gone but not forgotten". Left and right plaques read: "In memory of (lists stating name and year of death follow) Gone but not forgotten". On the adjoining walls four murals: 1)"UFF Feriens Tego" with UFF crest and gunman silhouette. 2)"UDA Quis Separabit. 4th Batt. Castlereagh" with two silhouettes of gunmen firing pistols and UDA crest. 3)"UYM Terrae Filius" with two bowed gunmen. 4)"LPA. We forget them not" showing the red hand of Ulster wrapped in barbed wire. |
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Name
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UDA, East Belfast Brigade |
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Address
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Dee Street. |
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Group/Individual Commemorated
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Fallen Volunteers of East Belfast Brigade, Ulster Defence Association. |
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Commissioned By
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Not known [UDA]. |
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Date of Erection
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Not known. |
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Description
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Central black granite plaque shows the UDA symbol and reads: "East Belfast Brigade Roll of Honour (list stating name and date of death follows)". In the small yard there are two dedicated benches. Left bench - photograph and plaque "Maggie Wilkinson In Memory L.P.A."; right bench - photograph and plaque "Sarah Dougherty In Memory L.P.A." |
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Name
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UVF, 2nd Battalion Willowfield, East Belfast Regiment (1914-18) |
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Address
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Cherryville Street, off Woodstock Road, Ballymacarrett. |
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Group/Individual Commemorated
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Members of the 2nd Battalion Willowfield, East Belfast Regiment, Ulster Volunteer Force who died in the First World War. Fallen Volunteers of 3rd Battalion, East Belfast Brigade, Ulster Volunteer Force, who lost their lives during the Troubles. |
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Commissioned By
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UVF East Battalion. |
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Date of Erection
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1 July 1997 |
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Description
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Small flight of stone steps at the gate, leading to a path which ends in a wall of light brown brick, into which are inserted brass plates bearing the names of those members of the 2nd Battalion Willowfield, UVF, who lost their lives in 1914-18 and those members of East Belfast UVF who died during the more recent conflict. Central granite plaque shows the UVF symbol and reads: "In honour of our fallen comrades Ulster Volunteer Force East Belfast Vol Robert Bennett 7.2.1973 Capt Joseph Long 27.2.1977 Vol James Cordner 27.2.1977 Vol Robert Seymour 15.6.1988 Vol Roy Walker 18.8.1976 At the going down of the sun". Two white stone panels are set one on each side of the central memorial. Left stone presents the UVF symbol on top and reads: "Lest we forget This memorial is dedicated to the men of the Willowfield Battalion East Belfast Regiment, Ulster Volunteer Force, who made the supreme sacrifice in the Great War 1914-1918. It stands on the site of the Old Willowfield Unionist Hall opened by Sir Edward Carson on May 16th 1913, as a drill hall and rifle range for Willowfield U.V.F. It was from this hall Volunteers marched to Balmoral, from there to the Green Fields of France, some never to return. 'Sleep on dear sons of Ulster til the trumpet sounds again' ". Right stone presents the UVF symbol and reads: "In solemn remembrance we salute the brave men of Ulster Without favour or reward they fought militant Republicanism on it's [its] own terms Their courage dedication and sacrifice we will remember for evermore Joe Long Robert (Squeak) Seymour Charlie Logan Trevor King Billy Miller Tommy McDowell Joe Shaw Colin Caldwell Harris Boyle Wesley Somerville Geoffrey Freeman David Swanson Sinclair Johnston Robin Jackson This is a few of the many For God and Uster". |
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Notes
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As stated in one of the lateral stones, the memorial is built on the site of the old Willowfield Unionist Club, which was officially opened by Sir Edward Carson on 16th May 1913 and was demolished in 1983, after being destroyed by fire. In recent years, a block of shops was built on the site of the old Unionist hall and it was whilst working in one of these that Volunteer Robert Seymour was killed by the IRA in June 1987. The present memorial replaces a smaller memorial erected by local Loyalists in July 1990 and it was officially opened by councillor David Ervine. The 'roll of honour' plaque listing the members of Willowfield, UVF, who made the supreme sacrifice in the Great War is a faithful replica of a brass plaque which was unveiled in the Unionist Club in 1921. With the fire and the resulting demolition of the building in 1983, all trace of this plaque was lost until 1988 when Tommy Braden, a reasercher for Farset Youth Group, discovered a photograph of it in an old newspaper with the names on it still visible. In 2000 the memorial garden was newly redesigned and the two lateral white stone panels were added. An annual commemorative ceremony is held on 1st of July by members of the Ulster Volunteer Flute Band. |
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