Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom — Northwestern Europe (the British Isles)
Shankill Protestant Boys Flute Band
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., May 13, 2019
1. Shankill Protestant Boys Flute Band Marker
Inscription.
Shankill Protestant Boys Flute Band. .
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 now "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 and express their 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 I 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 flags of the 1st Belfast Battalion Ulster Volunteer Force in 1982 and have proudly carried them with honour and dignity on every parade since and will continue to do so.
From our humble beginnings wearing homemade uniforms that our wives made, 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 playing in a band, it is as much about learning discipline and educating our youth on our culture and history. There is no better feeling than marching down the Shankill Road with your own community clapping and cheering you on and our aim with the support of fellow bandsmen and Loyalists is to represent our community through our music and decorum.
We are proud Shankill Road men, we are proud of our history; we are proud of who we are; we are the Shankill Protestant Boys.
SPB Till We Die..
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 now "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
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at that time, the men behind the formation had other ideas, they wanted to promote and express their 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 I 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 flags of the 1st Belfast Battalion Ulster Volunteer Force in 1982 and have proudly carried them with honour and dignity on every parade since and will continue to do so.
From our humble beginnings wearing homemade uniforms that our wives made, 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 playing in a band, it is as much about learning discipline and educating our youth on our culture and history. There is no better feeling than marching down the Shankill Road with your own community clapping and cheering you on and our aim with the support of fellow bandsmen and Loyalists is to represent our community through our music and decorum.
We are proud Shankill Road men, we are proud of our history; we are proud of who we are; we are the Shankill
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., May 13, 2019
Location. 54° 36.27′ N, 5° 57.243′ W. Marker is in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Marker is at the intersection of Shankill Road (Northern Ireland Route B39) and C Coy Street/Carnan Street, on the right when traveling west on Shankill Road. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 315-319 Shankill Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland BT13 1FX, United Kingdom. Touch for directions.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., May 13, 2019
4. Shankill Protestant Boys Flute Band Mural
Credits. This page was last revised on August 27, 2020. It was originally submitted on June 2, 2019, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 1,000 times since then and 131 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on June 2, 2019, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
