Shankill Protestant Boys Flute Band

This mural commemorates the Shankill Protestant Boys Flute Band (SPB), which is deeply rooted in the Shankill community’s loyalist and Protestant traditions. Here’s a breakdown of the elements and symbols within the mural:

Central Insignia:

The centerpiece features a large crest with the red Red Hand of Ulster, a symbol of loyalty to the province of Ulster and a key icon within loyalist and unionist iconography.
Surrounding the crest, the text reads “S.P.B. For God and Ulster” with the initials U.S.S.F. below, likely representing an affiliation with a larger unionist or flute band federation.
Establishment Date:

Above the crest, the mural notes “Est. 1980”, indicating the founding year of the Shankill Protestant Boys Flute Band.
Flanking Lions and Banners:

Two lions, symbols of strength and guardianship, stand on either side of the crest, lending the mural a sense of nobility and protection.
Banners extend from either side, reading “Shankill Protestant” on the left and “Boys Flute Band” on the right, completing the band's full title.
Flags:

Behind the lions and crest, various flags are displayed, including the Union Jack, St. George's Cross (flag of England), and other flags associated with loyalist and British identity. These flags reinforce the community’s allegiance to the United Kingdom and British heritage.
Battle Names and Memorial Theme:

On both the left and right, shields list names of significant battle sites from World War I, such as Somme, Thiepval, Messines, Cambrai, and Arras on the left, and Ypres 1917, Langemarck, Passchendaele, Picardy, Ypres 1918, and Courtrai on the right. These names honor historical battlefields where British forces, including many from Ulster, fought and sacrificed, aligning with the mural’s theme of remembrance.
Below, there is a poppy wreath and the phrase “Lest We Forget”, underscoring the memorial aspect of the mural and honoring those who lost their lives in wartime.
Additional Symbols and Context:

The poppies, common symbols of remembrance in the UK, reinforce the theme of honoring the fallen.
There is a sign above labeled “C. Coy St”, possibly denoting the location as a commemorative site or reflecting a connection to loyalist companies (C Company).
This mural is a tribute to the Shankill Protestant Boys Flute Band and serves as a broader memorial for the sacrifices made by British and Ulster forces, especially in the context of World War I. It reflects the loyalist community’s values of loyalty, remembrance, and pride in heritage.

S.P.B. 1st Btn West Belfast

The officers and members of the Shankill Protestant Boys flute band strive to achieve the same respect that our 1st Battalion West Belfast Ulster Volunteers and Ulster Special Service Force “USSF” forefathers rightfully achieved in 1913, as they marched from Lawnbrook Ave to Fernhill House to enlist in Carson’s Army to defend Ulster from the 3rd Home Rule Bill, then again in May 1915 as they enlisted in Kitchener’s Army as the 36th (Ulster) Division marching from Stewards Yard Aberdeen Street as the 9th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles through Belfast and off to fight in the Great War 1914 -1918.

The Shankill Protestant Boys were the first flute band to wear the USSF badge and to this day we are proud to have USSF bloodline in our ranks, grandfathers, grandsons and great-grandsons marching as their forefathers had done before them. The Shankill Protestant Boys extensive repertoire consists of many wartime tunes such as Mountjoy (more famously known as the Clydevalley the UVF gunrunning ship) and many relating to the modern day Volunteers.

The Shankill Protestant Boys Flute Band or as we are more famously known as “SPB” were formed in the Shankill area in 1980 and many founder members are still marching today, the reasons for forming the band were much more than simply establishing another flute band, the Shankill had many at that time, the men behind the formation had other ideas, they wanted to promote respect for Protestant culture and also remember the brave volunteers and servicemen who had fought and died during both World Wars, in particular during the Somme offensive during World War 1 and also to remember those in more recent times who perished during the conflict in the war against violent republicanism. The SPB were presented with the flag of the 1st Belfast Battalion Ulster Volunteer Force in 1982 and have proudly carried it with honour and dignity on every parade since and will continue to do so.

From our humble beginnings wearing homemade uniforms that were worse rags, to the regimental uniforms of more recent times, we now have over 125 members and are very proud to represent the Shankill Road on our many parades throughout Ulster and beyond. To join the SPB now is to take part in much more than learning music and simply playing in a band, it is as much about learning discipline and education about our culture and history. There is no better feeling than marching down the Shankill Road