Not sure what to make of this, I found this photo today when doing a bit of a clear up. Google Translate says that the slogan "lamh dearg na uachtar” translates as “red arm of cream”, but it is more likely to have been “red hand uppermost”. The handwritten message on the back of the photo appears to say ‘Bogus arms to be removed and replaced by the proper Ulster arms, Ulster Hall, Belfast”.
This photo seemingly from 1890 has what looks like the same feature.
The Hall was refurbished a few years ago and the current feature is just the yellow ‘9 County’ Ulster flag (see here), which I had photographed myself in 2005 (see here). You will notice that these show the Red Hand the ‘other' way round, ie as a right hand with the thumb to the right, whereas the black and white photo shows a left hand with the thumb to the left - the same as on the Linen Hall Library.
There is some correspondence in the local newspapers in 1934 about the arms on the Hall. Perhaps somebody out there can shed some light on this.
2 comments:
This is curious. Marcus Patton remarks "The crest which then appeared atop the façade was changed in 1959 to the present shield and red hand."
The supporters seem to be greyhounds, and the crest, a crown of some kind.
I had another look at the Mulholland arms (which family patronized the Hall).
I don't recognize it!
The original armorial supporters apparently comprised a deer and a wolfhound, which makes sense given that the wolf supports the Belfast coat-of-arms, and the deer supports the Mulholland (Dunleath) arms.
I wonder if any images exist of the Hall after its construction.
Post a Comment