Dunluce Castle - Romanticism, Legend, History and ghost stories.

The ruins of Dunluce Castle in the direction of Portrush at Sunset
Credit to David Getty & Causeway Coast Community

 On the Ulster coastline in the County of Antrim between the popular seaside town of Portrush and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Giants Causeway, sits another one of Northern Ireland's iconic land marks. It is not iconic because of its history although it is historic, but rather because of its dramatic and romantic appeal. I am of course talking about Dunluce Castle, or perhaps more accurately what is left of it because the castle is a ruin. An 1840 travel guide depicts a romantic and dramatic picture describing "The picturesque ruins of Dunluce Castle lay scattered over the surface of a rocky promontory projecting boldly into the wild and turbulent waters of the North Atlantic. These were once the feudal halls of powerful chieftains long ages ago shattered, unroofed and despoiled by war; and now but the naked wreck left by the slow mining hand of time." More recently it appeared in the Game of Thrones series as Pyke Castle (although it is almost unrecognisable due to the large amounts of CGI)

I visited Dunluce in August and took some pictures while I was there and thought I'd share them while telling the story of one of Northern Ireland's most iconic landmarks. Since the place is in ruins it has not surprisingly gained a reputation for being haunted so since its October and Halloween is approaching I'll throw in a couple of ghost stories too. Starting off with a brief history

The MacQuillans and the MacDonnells

A little bit like Game of Thrones much of the castle's story revolves around the rivalry of two great clans, with a little bit of conflict with the Crown thrown in for good measure. 

A hiding place dated to the early Christian period
cut into the rock in the castle inner ward

There has been human settlements on and around Dunluce since pre history (the 'Dun' in the name suggests the presence of a ringfort) and there was a castle at or near Dunluce in the 13th Century however the history of the current castle begins in the early 16th Century. According to the guide leaflet I got when I visited the earliest standing remains of the castle date to around 1500 and accordioning to DiscoverNorthernIreland it was first documented in 1513.

The MacQuillans were of Scottish descent and came to Ireland in the 13th Century as gallowglasses, They became lords of a territory known as the Route the 15th Century which basically extended between the Rivers Bann and Bush (its a little more complex but thats perhaps a subject for a different time). The MacQuillans were powerful in fact the name of their territory is thought o derive from the word "rout" which was the common term for a private army. 

A view of the Inner Ward from the Outer Ward

The MacQuillans built the castle however in 1554 another Scottish family fought with the MacQuillans for possession of the castle. This was the MacDonnells who were a sept or branch of the Clan MacDonald. As a result the castle changed hands between the two clans various times before the MacQuillans were finally beaten in 1565 at the Battle of Aura. The battle took place in a bog Oral tradition tells us that the MacDonnells lead by the fantastically named Sorley Boy MacDonnell stood on firm ground but by covering the bog with reeds and rushes were able to trick the MacQuillans to enter the bog where they were easily cut down. 

The inner ward sits on an outcrop the outer ward is to the left
The outer ward was used to greet guests, house visitors and staff, and featured
lodgings, a stable, and possibly a brewery (arguably the most important building)

A view from the lodgings

remains of a fireplace in the outer ward lodgings

inside the lodgings in the outer ward, another fire place is to the right

Path down to the cave beneath the castle known as the Mermaid's cave
Due to Covid19 restrictions it was closed on the day of my visit so I have no pics of the cave

The Castle under the MacDonnells

After taking possession of the castle permanently Sorley Boy made it his seat of power, and as such made it more comfortable. He rebuilt much of it in the Scottish style of the period and much what survives of the castle can be traced to this period. However that was not the end of conflict at Dunluce Castle. For after taking his land from the MacQuillans the MacDonnells spent much of the remainder of the century trying to keep it from the forces of Elizabeth I. In 1584 the Lord Deputy of Ireland, Sir John Perrot laid siege to and took Dunluce Castle for the Crown. Local legend goes that Sorely Boy was able to retake the castle by being hauled up the cliff in a basket (presumably with some of his men at arms) by one of the servants in the castle. Sorely Boy and Perrot reluctantly entered into negotiations which culminated with Sorley Boy pledging loyalty to the Queen and she regranted him his lands and the castle.  

The Funnel and the Bridge. Originally this was a draw bridge 
but it was later replaced my a stone arch and wooden walkway

The Gatehouse to the left was originally built by the MacQuillans but was rebuilt
in its present Scottish style by the MacDonnels as was the curtain wall to the right
note the openings added to house cannon from a wrecked ship of the Spanish Armada

An impression of how the funnel, gatehouse and curtain wall looked in the 17th Century

Detail of the First Trust £10 note featuring the Girona

Sorley Boy appears to have mostly remained loyal to the Queen although there is one event where that loyalty can be questioned. On the night of 26th October 1588 the Spanish Galleass 'Girona' was making her way around the Antrim coast to Scotland. Girona was one of the ships of the Spanish Armada. Following the Armada being scattered by the wind and by English fire ships it made its way around Scotland and Ireland in order to return to Spain and lost many ships in the process. The Girona was one of the many stragglers, she was designed for the calm waters of the Mediterranean and was unsuited to  

19th Century engraving of the wreck of the Girona
Lacada Point and the Spanish Rocks are in the background

the British coastline. After making repairs in Donegal it was decided to sail for neutral Scotland rather than attempt to make the perilous trip to Spain . After passing Lough Foyle she was caught in a storm and was driven onto rocks not to far from Dunluce Castle at Lacada Point (the rocks in question would from henceforth be known as the Spanish Rocks) and sank with the estimated loss of 1300 souls. There were nine survivors who despite his allegiance to the Queen Sorley Boy helped escape to his kin in Scotland. However Sorely Boy also salvaged riches from the wreck with which he was able to improve the castle including two ship's guns which were installed in the curtain wall beside the gatehouse. 

The Girona has become another part of the local folklore and is even depicted on the reverse of the £10 Northern Ireland banknotes that were issued by First Trust Bank prior to 2019 (although no longer being printed they are still legal currency until June 2022)

The Earls of Antrim

Armorial bearings of the Earl
of Antrim at Dunluce

Sorely Boy was a winner and was successful in walking the tightrope between rebellion and loyalty to the crown to secure his family's future as the rulers of Dunluce Castle and the lands around it. Sorely Boy's 4th son Randal succeeded him as head of the clan, and with the support of the new King James I founded a town outside the castle in 1608. This town was inhabited not just by Scottish settlers but also many local Irish tenants. In 1618 while much of the rest of Ulster was undergoing the plantation, the King made Randal the 1st Earl of Antrim increasing the lands, power and wealth of the MacDonnells further. Randal set about making the castle more comfortable and built the manner house in the centre of the castle as well as remodelling some of the other buildings in the castle. 

This was heyday of the castle however for the town of Dunluce was burned to the ground in the 1641 rebellion and following the Cromwellian reconquest of Ireland the lands of Dunluce were granted to Cromwell's soldiers and the castle was abandoned. However it was reoccupied with the restoration of Charles II in 1660 and the town rebuilt. However unlike most of the other plantation towns, Dunluce was not a success. It's economy suffered from the lack of a natural harbour making trade difficult and it was abandoned again by the 1680s never to be reoccupied or rebuilt. 

The ornate frontage of what remains of the Manor House

In 1635 the second Earl married the widow of the Duke of Buckingham and she lived here
It is said she was always uneasy being so close to the sea, and left after part of the savants' quarters collapsed

The interior of the manner house with its big fire places and large windows

Plaque at Dunluce depicting the Manor House

The Kitchen Collapse and the ruin of the Castle

The Kitchen next to the Manor House

Local legend has it that sometime towards the end of the castle being occupied there was a great feast being held on a dark and stormy night. However the feast was cut short when the Earl and his guests heard a mighty crash and screams; as the storm caused the cliff supporting the kitchen to collapse into the sea taking the kitchen with it, as well as all those that were in it at the time. Only a single member of the kitchen staff survived and this was a young serving boy who happened to be standing in the one small corner of the kitchen to remain as the rest plummeted into the sea. The wife of the Earl refused to live in the castle after that and the MacDonnells abandoned the castle leaving it to fall to ruins. 

We know this is the kitchen due to the large ovens

Ask anyone in Northern Ireland what happened to Dunluce castle and they will tell you some form of that story. While it is a great story it is I am afraid just a story. The kitchen did not fall into the sea, in fact if you visit the castle you can clearly see the remains of the kitchen complete with its great stone ovens. However like most legends it does have a basis in fact, the MacDonnells did indeed leave the castle for the more comfortable Glenarm castle and this remains the seat of the Earls of Antrim to this day. Alexander MacDonnell the 3rd Earl of Antrim was the last of the MacDonnells we know was born at Dunluce Castle. During the Glorious Revolution of 1688 he raised a regiment for James II, and with that regiment went to take over the garrison of Londonderry but had the gates closed upon his men (starting a stand off that would end in the Siege of Derry), thus setting into action a chain of events the would cumulate in the vanquishing of James II to be replaced as King of Ireland, England and Scotland by William III & Mary II. 

Antrim finding himself on the losing side was no longer able to support the expense of maintaining the cast and thus abandoned it to ruin. At some point  a portion of the in the inner ward fell into the sea, giving rise to the legend of the kitchen. Although despite that fact it is said that on dark stormy nights you can still hear rock shattering and the ghostly cries of the servants as they once more plunge to their deaths in the icy sea below.

The Courtyard of the Inner Ward housed servants' quarters and workshops

Inside the remains of one of the buildings in the Inner Ward Courtyard

The chimney of the above building

Looking out at the coast

The  rear most building of the court yard fell into the sea 
long ago. This corner is all that is left

A view of the white rocks with Portrush in the distance

The ghosts of Dunluce

Like all good castles Dunluce has its fair share of alleged hauntings. As well as the souls of the kitchen staff reliving the night of their death (even though the kitchen never actually collapsed and is largely still intact today) there are other apparitions and panorama activity that have been reported over the centuries. 

We will star with the south east tower. This is the one beside the curtain wall closest to the gatehouse. For it is said to haunted by the spirit of Peter Carey. Carey was the Constable of the castle after it fell to the Queen's Lord Deputy, however when Sorley Boy MacDonnell retook the castle he took his revenge on Carey by hanging him from the southeast tower. It is said his spirit never left that tower and is allegedly seen on dark nights roaming the ramparts. Carey's ghost is identifiable as he is in a dark purple cloak and is wearing a ponytail which might actually be the rope that killed him. Visitors to the castle also report feeling someone push past them inside the southeast tower despite the fact they are the only ones there.

Originally built by the MacQuillans to protect the Curtain Wall
It was improved by the MacDonnells and features gun loops
The castle's constable was hanged from this tower in 1584

View of the outer ward from one of the cannon ports

A view of the lodgings from the gun port

These columns were part of a loggia which overlooked
a garden before the manor house was built 

Next is the north east tower which is said to be haunted by a white lady. There are slightly different variants of the story, however they all agree that the white lady is the spirit Mave McQuillans who was imprisoned in that tower by father to prevent her from seeing the man she loved (a match her father evidently did not approve). However here the stories differ for one read that she pined away in the tower and died of a broken heart. She is said to have met her lover at the castle when he was either a prisoner or one of the soldiers tasked with guarding it, stories differ. Another version of the story states that Mave fled with her lover to the Mermaid's Cave to escape to Portrush in a boat hidden in the cave. However the sea proved to rough and they pair drowned. While her lover's body was washed ashore the next morning the Sea refused to give up Mave's body and as such she was denied a Christian burial. Where the stories agree again is that Mave's spirit haunts the tower she was imprisoned in. After the tragedy servants refused to enter the tower however on the rare occasion a living soul entered the tower it is said that it was spotless, without even a speck of dust. The ghost of Mave apparently keeping it clean. Because the tower Mave is still said to reside in the tower it became known as the MacQuillan Tower even after the MacDonnells took over.

The north east tower was built at the same time
as the south east. Both were closed off as Covid19 percussions 

It retains its Irish style with an upper room and separate
ground floor vault. 

Likewise the MacQuillan Banshee still haunts the castle and lands surrounding it. It is said that screams of the Banshee echo around the castle whenever a member of the Clan MacQuillan is on their death bed. Some have even said the screams originate from the north east tower leading some to speculate that the spirit of Mave and the Banshee are one in the same. 

In the 16th Century a woman in white was said to appear on the cliffs beside the castle every day at sunset. She was said to always gaze out to sea and some accounts state she wailed like a fury, but all agreed she soon disappeared. No one knows exactly who this was, some say it is the spirt of Mave MacQuillan, some that it was the Banshee and some that it is both. A story says that in 1534 one of the MacQuillan children saw the Lady in white on the shore, where she disappeared into thin air in front of him. He returned the next night with his siblings but the lady didn't appear. There continued to be reports from locals of the Lady walking along the shore before sunset throughout the following decades. When the child now a man in his 30s returned to the spot he originally seen the apparition the lady materialised to him. He attempted to speak with her but once again she vanished and has not been seen since.

Poltergeist activity has also been reported in the castle reception and gift shop. Staff report that they will come to work in the morning to find that someone has rearranged the shelves during the night, despite the fact the shop is locked and there is no sign of a break in. Sometimes they will also find the radio has been turned on despite the fact it was switched off at the end of the day before!

The Castle today 

The castle ruins have inspired music, art and literature and are today still the property of the

MacDonnells although the seat of the Earldom is Glenarm castle. However Dunluce is a monument in state care being cared for by the Northern Ireland Department for Communities (Previously the NI Environment Agency). The Government of Northern Ireland have had guardianship of the ruins since 1928 and seek to preserve them as much as possible for the benefit of future generations. Although undoubtedly one day nature will take her course and the ruins will fall to the sea. However until that day comes (hopefully in the far future) the castle will no doubt continue to awe and inspire. 

Dunluce Town however has been likened as an Irish equivalent of Atlantis. The town was considered lost to history until archaeological discovery in 2011. It was found that it may have been built on a grid system with complex houses with indoor toilets (new in Europe at the time). Its estimated 95% of the town is yet to be rediscovered. 

The above feature digital reconstructions of the ruins of six British castles first of which is Dunluce. In the meantime if you are ever on the North Antrim coast I would recommend spending some time to explore these majestic ruins and soak up the history and the legends.  

Rule Britannia - The Lyrics and the history

Detail of a patriot postcard from 1903

 Yesterday (25/08/2020) I read an interesting column by a certain peer of the Realm in the Sun, (I don't often read the Sun but it was the only newspaper in the Lunch room). While he agreed with my viewpoint over the recent controversy the British Broadcasting Corporation has brought upon itself I was a little bit taken aback aback at what he said was the history behind the lyrics and suggesting that most people who enthusiastically sing the song while waving flags were ignorant of the said history. 

I am not going to say here if patriotic songs like Rule Britannia or Land of Hope and Glory should or should not be sung enthusiastically or even sung at all at the Last Night of the Proms nor am I going to attack the BBC decision. I am however going to look at the history of the song and you the reader can make up your own mind on the subject. 

Who or what is Britannia?

Firstly lets look at the question of what is Britannia. Britannia is the Latin name for the island Great Britain which is also applied to the personification of the United Kingdom which is inspired by the Goddess Athena from Greek and later Roman mythology. Although she has appeared on coins minted by every British monarch since Charles II she became a more widely accepted symbol for Britain during the reign of Queen Victoria, probably in no small part because she is a female personification. She is generally depicted in a white toga wearing a Corinthian style helmet and armed with a trident and a Union Shield. She is often although by no means always depicted seated with a lion. Of there is tones of symbolism in the white being seen a symbol of purity or even peace, the trident symbolic of mastery of the sea etc etc (I will suggest reading the chapter on personifications in my book on Northern Ireland flags and emblems for more details) 

Origins of the Song

The music was written as part of an opera about Alfred the Great by Thomas Arne, David Mallet and James Thompson. It was first performed for the Prince of Wales in 1740. Arne wrote the music for this work. Alfred the Great was the King of the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Wessex which was the most powerful of the seven kingdoms of Anglo-Saxon England. He was viewed by antiquarian historians as the father of the English nation (although he himself was never king of England) for defending the islands against Viking conquest. He is sometimes called the father of the Navy as he was the first English King recorded to construct and man ships for war. 

Thompson was a Scottish unionist and believed in embracing a British identity shared by English, Scots, Irish and Welsh people. This is probably his motivation when he wrote 'Rule Britannia' in 1740 for the opera. 

1759 is known as Britain's year of Wonders for it saw British forces triumph over the French and their allies on land and sea all over the world (the Seven Years War is sometimes refereed to as the first ever world war). The land as a result was full of patriotic zeal not least of which resulted from the numerous achievements of the Royal Navy and this is the backdrop to which Rule Britannia a song from an opera which about great victories on land and sea against a foreign enemy became popular. (It is also the year the Royal Navy's quick march 'Heart of Oak' was written and is the "wonderful year" referred to in the first verse of that song)

The Lyrics

Thompson wrote six verses to 'Rule Britannia' although since 1759 usually on three are actually sung (as is the case in the below clip) or in some cases only two. In any case I will examine and explain all of Thompson's lyrics as the three verses that are sung (with the exception of the first verse) usually vary.

Verse One:

When Britain first, at heaven's command,
Arose from out the azure main,
This was the charter of the land,
And Guardian Angels sang this strain:

To understand the first verse we must remember the song is written for an opera about Alfred the Great. Alfred who is being regarded as the father of the nation, defeated the Great Heathen Army of the Vikings and thus preserved Christian civilisation in England and arguably Great Britain as whole. Hence the line "at heaven's Command." Azure is a shade of blue and in heraldry is the tincture for blue, hence the second line is referencing the island nation identity and possibly even the creation of the land itself. 

The Charter is a little bit more difficult to determine as Britain has an unwritten constitution (which is misleading term as the British constitution is long and complex with an awful lot of witting) it could be referring to Magna Carter (which means Great Charter) regarded as the founding document of British Rights and Freedom, it could be the much more recent Bill of Rights from the reign of William III and Mary II or it could be one of the numerous documents of Alfred the Great or even the Bible. 

Then the last line returning back to the theme of Christian civilisation triumphing over the Great Heathen Army sets up the Chorus

The Chorus:

Rule Britannia!
Britannia Rule the Waves!
Britons Never, ever ever will be slaves!

Throughout this song you see the poet in Thompson but particularly in the chorus, for rather than simply evoke Britain ruling the waves he personifies the nation in the figure of Britannia. The lyrics about ruling the waves were originally references to Alfred defeating the Vikings who were of course excellent sailors who'es exploits can be found throughout the Northern hemisphere. Since 1759 however its been used to evoke the victories of the Royal Navy in that year and the years since. 

The line "Britons Never will be slaves" is the particular line the BBC thinks is controversial despite the fact its clearly about fighting slavery rather than practising it. What is this line about, were British people (Britons) ever faced with slavery?

Well during Anglo-Saxon times they were. Viking raiders often took slaves as did many of the people of raided the British coast in the centuries since. Slavery was (and still is) also not enforceable in Britain under British Common Law (there were numerous court cases between the reign of Elizabeth I and George III that proved this most notably the case of Somerset vs Stewart in 1772) although such laws admittable did not extend to the colonies, and Britain benefited from trade with the colonies. 

There is also a line of thinking that this line was inspired from one of Thompson's earlier works. The 'Tragedy of Sophonisba' (1730) is about a Carthaginian (another naval power form antiquity) princess who ultimately commits suicide rather than submit to Roman slavery.

Second Verse:

The nations not so blest as thee
Must, in their turn, to tyrants fall,
While thou shalt flourish great and free:
The dread and envy of them all

Again in the context to the original opera the song was written for the first two lines of this verse references the peoples who fell to the Vikings. The last two lines simply compare the free peoples of Britain who's greatness is both envied and dreaded by other nations. Admittable there might be a bit of chest thumping here but that is hardly unique to British patriotic music. 

Third Verse:

Still more majestic shalt thou rise,
More dreadful from each foreign stroke,
As the loud blast that tears the skies
Serves but to root thy native oak.

The first two lines of this verse is simply saying in a more poetic manner that Britain always comes out of fight stronger. Likewise the last two lines imply that whenever British people or British values are threatened and attacked, rather than scare or submit British people become more defiant and more entrenched in the position they held. This is being visualised with an oak tree representing the British people, which is rooted rather than felled by a blast.  

Fourth Verse:

Thee haughty tyrants ne'er shall tame;

All their attempts to bend thee down

Will but arouse thy generous flame,

But work their woe and thy renown.

The first line of this verse follows the theme of the previous verse simply stating the nation will never be tamed by tyrants. The tyrants in question probably originally intended to be Vikings but since 1759 the word referring to the French and other foreign foes. France at this time of course being an absolute monarchy whereas Britain was a constitutional monarchy with restrictions on royal power. The second and third lines really repeat the theme of the last two lines of the previous verse. This time it compares Britian to a flame which burns brighter when tyrants attempt to bend Britons down. Of course there is great symbolism in flames and light being associated with freedom and enlightenment as well as with passion which Thompson is attempting to convey to the audience. 

Renown mean highly acclaimed or highly honored hence The last line simply states that while others work their woe (a word meaning sorrow or distress) Britain is also at work to the opposite effect.

Fifth Verse:

To thee belongs the rural reign;

Thy cities shall with commerce shine;

All thine shall be the subject main,

And every shore it circles, thine.

As is with many patriotic songs it talks about riches and resources and hence the first two lines speak of resources of the land (rural reign) and the cities shining with commerce. 

The last two lines are open to be misinterpreted as being colonialist as they are talking about territorial possession. However they are in fact talking about British territorial integrity. The 'subject main' being the island of Great Britain and the "shores it circles" being the numerous other islands of the British Isles. 

Sixth Verse:

The Muses, still with freedom found,

Shall to thy happy coasts repair.

Blest isles! with matchless beauty crowned,

And manly hearts to guard the fair.

The "Muses" are minor Gods in Greek mythology and personify the musical, literary and visual arts as well as Science. Hence the first two lines of this verse are stating that Britain is a welcoming place for culture and science. The third verse salutes the natural beauty of the British Isles where as the last verse describes the people of the said isles as fair and guarded by manly hearts. This probably has subtle notes to 18th century notions of femininity and purity as well as manhood and strength.

Concluding Remarks

Of course the song could well evoke different things for different people for a variety of reasons. However I think it is clear from the examination of the history and lyrics of the song that it is neither intended to be about Slavery or Colonialism. While it is a song that evokes naval and military power Thompson was careful to frame that power in a defensive nature. It is true the song was written in an era of colonialism when Britain benefited from the triangle trade but . However that can be said of numerous songs and poetry from history. Shakespeare wrote his plays in a time where English people were persecuted for their faith, yet no one is saying we shouldn't enjoy those plays. The same is true of Rule Britannia, enslavement and subjugation are not what I think is evoked in the song. It could be argued that the lyrics are at worst hypocritical of what Britain was or is, but I think the lyrics are more an expression of what Britain can achieve and what we as Britons should aspire for our country to be.

Those are merely the conclusions I have drawn from this examination of the song, I invite you you to draw your own.

Lillibullero

 one of the oldest if not the oldest tune you might hear on the twelfth. It dates directly to the Glorious Revolution.

The melody was first published by English composer Henry Purcell in 1687, as a quick step on the basis of a traditional song.

In either case it became popular in 1687 when the MP for Buckinghamshire Thomas, Lord Walton composed a satirical poem about the appointment of the Earl of Tyrconnell as Lord Deputy of Ireland. The poem quickly took on musical form being set to Purcell’s quickstep and gained popularity as James II brought regiments of the Irish Army to England. Wharton would later boast that his song had sung James out of the Three Kingdoms. It sometimes being said that James made the final decision to flee the crown when he heard the sentry outside his personal quarters whistling the tune!

The tune was carried back to Ireland by troops in the Williamite Army. The tune continues to be used as a military march to this day. Over the time other songs and lyrics have been set to it, most notable ‘The Protestant Boys’ but also the tavern song ‘Nottingham Ale,’ and the American Civil War song ‘Overtures of Richmond’ which keeping in the theme of the original song is a satire of Jefferson Davis the president of the southern Confederacy.

The song was adopted in World War II by the BBC as the opening for the program ‘Into Battle.’ Later being used as the interval signal, its use continuing long after the war until the 1990s when the World Service finally dropped the practice.

It continues as a march today being the formal march of the Corps of Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers and the Corps of Royal Australian Electrical & Mechanical Engineers. Both of whom were formed in WW2 and given rise with some debate with the BBC as who adopted the tune first.

Lyrics

The 1688 lyrics feature two satirical Irish Jacobites looking forward to the completion of James’ perceived policies in Ireland under Tyrconnell:

Ho, brother Teague, dost hear the decree?

Lillibullero bullen a la

We are to have a new deputy

Lillibullero bullen a la

Refrain:

Lero Lero Lillibullero

Lillibullero bullen a la

Lero Lero Lero Lero

Lillibullero bullen a la

Oh by my soul it is a Talbot

Lillibullero bullen a la

And he will cut every Englishman's throat

Lillibullero bullen a la

Refrain

Though, by my soul, the English do prate

Lillibullero bullen a la

The law's on their side and the devil knows what

Lillibullero bullen a la

Refrain

But if dispense do come from the Pope

Lillibullero bullen a la

We'll hang Magna Carta and themselves on a rope

Lillibullero bullen a la

Refrain

Who all in France have taken a swear,

Lillibullero bullen a la

That they will have no Protestant heir

Lillibullero bullen a la

Refrain

Now Tyrconnell is come ashore

Lillibullero bullen a la

And we shall have commissions galore

Lillibullero bullen a la

Refrain

And everyone that won't go to Mass

Lillibullero bullen a la

He will be turned out to look like an ass

Lillibullero bullen a la

Refrain

Now the heretics all go down

Lillibullero bullen a la

By Christ and St Patrick's the nation's our own

Lillibullero bullen a la

Refrain

There was an old prophecy found in a bog

Lillibullero bullen a la

The country'd be ruled by an ass and a dog

Lillibullero bullen a la

Refrain

Now this prophecy is all come to pass

Lillibullero bullen a la

For Talbot's the dog and Tyrconnell's the ass

Lillibullero bullen a la

Refrain

The Lyrics explained

Teague derived from the Gaelic masculine name Tadgh identifying who is speaking. The Deputy referred to is the new Lord Deputy of Ireland Richard Talbot, Earl of Tyrconnell. The two conversaionists then talk with one saying that Tyrconnell will cast out the English slitting their throats, while the other one points out that the law is on the side of the English to which his fellow states that the law of the Catholic Church overrules that and would allow them to do away with English law and hang its liberties first laid down in Magn Carta.  The Commissions galore refers to the cashiering of Protestant officers from the Irish Army and replacing them with officers from the Catholic gentry as well as Catholic middle classes. Following that the subjects of the song talk about persecuting non Catholics. Followed by the widespread believe at the time in prophecies and ancient writings among people in Ireland. The Refrain ‘Lillibullero’ is apparently based on the watchword of insurgents in Ulster during the rising of 1641.Although it has also been interpreted as a garbled version of the Irish words Lile ba léir é, ba linn an lá, "Lilly was clear and ours was the day" referencing the heraldic symbol of the Kingdom of France.

We know that the tune was played at the Battle of the Boyne. Accounts of who witnessed the advance of the Dutch Blue Guards across the river recall that their corps of drums were playing “the popular lillberlero.” This means Lillibullero is probably the only tune you might hear on the twelfth that was actually played at the Boyne. 

the Formal Surrender of Hitler's U-boats

U-Boats moored at Lisahally, Londonderry.
 IWM Public Domain

The Battle of the Atlantic was the longest battle of the Second World War beginning with the sinking of the liner SS Athenia by German submarine U-30 a matter of hours after the British declaration of war on 3^rd September 1939. German submarine or U-Boat activity continued until the VE Day on 7^th May 1945. During this battle the German Navy the Kriegsmarine attempted to cut off the United Kingdom’s overseas supply lines most notably the transatlantic routes. The U-Boat was the Kriegsmarine’s workhorse in this regard. So critical was this battle to the survival of the United Kingdom that Britain’s wartime leader Winston Churchill described it as his greatest fear.

Though the command of Western Approaches was in Liverpool many of the escort vessels that protected Allied convoys were based in Northern Ireland ports most notably the port of Londonderry. Derry as the city is also commonly called is the UK’s most western port and a stone frigate (naval shore base) HMS Ferret was established there in 1940. Londonderry is Northern Ireland’s second city and is situated on a tidal section of the River Foyle just before it flows into Lough Foyle and into the North Atlantic. The importance of Derry to the battle is shown that by 1943 more ships were stationed there than Liverpool, the Clyde and Belfast. At its peak the city and its outlying port facilities at Lisahally just beyond the city limits catered to 139 ocean going vessels. Following the entry of the United States into the war the city hosted a strong American presence although the bulk of Allied naval personnel were British and Canadian.

On 4^th May 1945 as Berlin fell Grand Admiral Karl Donitz who had following Hitler’s suicide three days earlier inherited the leadership of Nazi Germany ordered his U-Boats to ceasefire. The message he sent them read “Undefeated and Spotless, you lay down your arms after a heroic battle without equal.” From that date U-Boats began surrendering whenever they met an Allied ship although some commanders scuttled their submarine before it fell into Allied hands.

View of Londonderry with warships along the quay

While many of the crews did fight a heroic battle, Winston Churchill himself paying tribute to the ‘fortitude of the U-Boat Service’ they had quite decisively been beaten in the Battle of the Atlantic. The Commander in Chief of Western Approaches Admiral Sir Max Horton took issue with this statement. He was a veteran of the 1^st World War (ironically as a submarine commander) and was aware that the Germany had blamed its defeat in that conflict on the stab in the back myth. This was the myth that the German armed forces in the field were undefeated and that Germany had lost the war because the civilians and politicians at home gave in and betrayed them. This was a myth but Horton was aware that the Nazis had used this belief to their advantage during their rise to power and it played into their rearmament and expansionist policies. Fearing that a similar myth regarding the German armed forces in the Second World War might lead to history repeating itself. Horton sought to dispel it before it could take hold so he planned a formal surrender ceremony.

Londonderry was chosen to be the place where this ceremony would take place due to the role it played but also probably for practical reasons regarding the range and seaworthiness of some of the U-boats. The first eight U-Boats sailed into Lough Foyle on Monday 14^th May 1945 with a skeleton Kriegsmarine crew and under the Royal Navy command. The U-Boats flew the British white ensign and were escorted by the British, Canadian and American destroyers HMS Hesperus, HMCS Theford Mines and USS Robert I Paine. The U-Boats docked at Lisahally and their crews led by Oberleutnant Klaus Hilgendorf commander of U-1009 formally surrendered to Admiral Sir Max Horton, who had flown into nearby Royal Naval Air Station Eglington (HMS Gannet) that morning specifically for the occasion. Horton was joined by the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland Sir Basil Brook and Colonel Dan Bryan the Irish Free State’s Director of Military Intelligence. The event was also witnessed by many of the locally based Allied soldiers, sailors and airmen, most notably the WRNS from HMS Ferret and Fleet Air Arm personnel from HMS Gannet and HMS Shrike (RNAS Maydown).

Free Polish destroyer ORP Krakowaiak toes U-2337 out of Lough Foyle
for scuttling as part of Operation Deadlight 28th November 1945

Following the surrender more U-Boats found themselves moored on the Foyle from where they were towed of the coasts of Counties Londonderry and Donegal and systematically sank in what was known as Operation Deadlight. 116 boats were destroyed this way, being towed to three main zones where they were sunk either by scuttling, naval gunfire or aerial target practice depending on which zone they were towed to. This operation commenced on 17^th November 1945 and completed on 11^th February 1946.

Thus the end of Hitler’s U-Boat fleet happened in Northern Ireland. Winston Churchill said of Northern Ireland’s role

“By the grace of God Ulster stood a faithful sentinel”

“That was a dark and dangerous hour. We were alone, and had to face single-handed the full fury of the German attack raining down death and destruction on our cities and, still more deadly, seeking to strangle our life by cutting off the entry to our ports of the ships which brought us our food and the weapons we so sorely needed.

Only one great channel remained open. It remained open because loyal Ulster gave us the full use of Northern Irish ports and waters, and thus ensured the free working of the Clyde and the Mersey.

But for the loyalty of Northern Ireland we should have been confronted with slavery and death and the light which now shines so strongly throughout the world would have been quenched.

The bonds of affection between Great Britain and the people of Northern Ireland have been tempered by fire and are now, I believe, unbreakable.”

“We have traveled a hard and darksome road to victory in Europe, and at every turn in this memorable journey the loyalty and courage of Ulster have gleamed before the eyes of men.

The stand of the Government and People of Northern Ireland for the unity of the British Empire and Commonwealth and for the great cause of freedom, for which we all risked our survival will never be forgotten by Great Britain. A strong loyal Ulster will always be vital to the security and well-being of our whole Empire and Commonwealth”

Personnel Flags of the Government (Part 2)

Continuing from Part One the next ministerial department is:

Department for International Trade

It is within this department that the Board of Trade sits and the Board of Trade has its own maritime ensign.  Although I am not sure if it is currently in use at sea I have noticed from pictures on Twitter that this flag is still used at various other department functions and I have read a news article that stated that the flag is flown from warships if the President of the Board is embarked.

Ensign of the Board of Trade

 The Department for International Trade is one of those departments that has its own insignia and the badge of the Board of Trade seems to be a part of it, I have included it in the banners for continuity.

Flag of the Secretary of State for International Trade & President of the Board of Trade

 There are currently five junior ministers within the department although two of them appear to be in relation to the current Secretary of State's twin role as Minister for Women & Equalities (which doesn't seem to have its own department)

1st Minister of State with no specific title

2nd Minister of State with no specific title

Minister for Investment

Minister for Equalities

Minister for Women

Department for Education

The insignia I thought for the Department of Education is a torch representing enlightenment on an open book which represents learning and manifestation. It is flanked by the national plants of the UK.

Flag of the Secretary of State for Education

There are currently  five junior ministers under the Education Secretary of State, two ministers of state and three parliamentary under secretaries

Minister for Universities

Minister for School Standards

Minister for Children and Families

Minster for Apprenticeships & Skills

Minister for the School System

Department for Work and Pensions 

I admit I found it difficult to think of appropriate symbolism for this but eventually settled on a book with a torch with a snake around it supported by the Royal Supporters. The book is closed which contrasts with an open book as a closed book is traditionally associated with counsel and can hence be representative of careers advice. The department mandate also includes apprenticeships which is a form of training so hence the torch of enlightenment. The Department is also responsible for Health & Safety at Work legislation and this is reflected by the snake which is in effect turning the torch into a Rod of Asclepius

Flag of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

there are five junior ministers in this department under the Secretary of State all of whom have a title

Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work

Minister for Employment

Minister for Pensions and Financial Inclusion

Minister for Welfare Delivery

Minister for Work and Pensions

Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs

The badge for this department features a flaming Grecian brazier representing the food part of the title. The rural element is represented by a heraldic crown usually only found in the heraldry of Scottish unitary authorities and that is the Wheat Sheaf Crown. The Wheat Sheaf Crown is used by Scottish councils in a similar manner as to how English and other European unitary authorities might use a mural coronet. I initially wanted to use a simple wheat sheaf, but being placed above the brazier thought it might look like it was catching fire! So instead decided to use this Scottish heraldic device instead. The wreath of oak leaves represents the environment. Trees being a prominent symbol of the environment and being used in the logos of  bodies like the environment Agency in general and oak being used specifically by organisations like the National Trust.

Flag of the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

There are currently four junior ministers in this department under the Secretary of State, with one also being a minister in the Foreign & Commonwealth Office

Minister for the Pacific & the Environment

Minister for Rural Affairs & Bio Security

1st Parliamentary Under Secretary with no title

2nd Parliamentary Under Secretary with no title

Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government

The badge for this department is a cross design of the floral emblems of the UK entwined. I remember seeing this design on an old coin probably a Victorian shilling. Around this is a chain which along with the floral emblems represents local communities being linked together on a national scale. Unlike the other emblems which are topped with a royal crown this is topped with a mural coronet, which is reflective of a city's wall in ancient times and is generally used by unitary authorities hence representing local government and housing.

Flag of the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government

There are only three junior ministers under the Secretary of State for this department.

Minister for Housing

Minister of State with no specific title

Minister for Local Government and Homelessness

Department for Transport

Like the Department for International Trade the Department of Transport had its own maritime ensign which featured a railway wheel and anchor:

Ensign of the Ministry of Transport

I am not sure if this flag is used at all in any capacity, however its badge makes a good base for the department's insignia, although I added a pair of wings so that land, sea and air transport is represented.

Flag of the Secretary of State for Transport

There are currently five junior ministers under the Secretary of State for Transport but strangely none of them seem to have any titles

1st Minister of State with no specific title

2nd Minister of State with no specific title

1st Parliamentary Under Secretary without a title

2nd Parliamentary Under Secretary without a title

3rd Parliamentary Under Secretary without a title

Northern Ireland Office

I initially started to sort of design an Irish variant of the Royal Coat of Arms similar to the Scottish replacing the Order of the Garter with the Order of St Patrick and replacing the Scottish Unicorn with an Irish elk like on the Northern Ireland coat of arms. However I stopped short of rearranging the shield and instead added an inner shield of the De Burgh arms like on the Great Seal of Northern Ireland (which I thought was more appropriate as the Secretary of State is also the Keeper of the Great Seal of Northern Ireland).

Flag of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

Like most of the regional departments there is only one junior minister in this department.

Minister of State with no specific title

Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland

The Scotland Office use a Scottish variant of the Royal Coat of Arms as used by HM Government and I see no reason to change this.

Flag of the Secretary of State for Scotland

There is one Junior Minister in the Scotland Office

Minister for Scotland

Office of the Secretary of State for Wales

The Wales Office had until recently used the original Royal Badge of Wales. I am not sure why they stopped but I decided to bring it back.

Flag of the Secretary of State for Wales

Like the other regional departments there is one junior minister

Parliamentary Under Secretary with no title

Office of the Leader of the House of Lords

One of the two houses of Parliament the Leader of the Lords Office hence uses the Portcullis badge of the Palace of Westminster and the UK Parliament, coloured red which is the colour of the House of Lords. 

Flag of the Leader of the House of Lords

Deputy Leader of the House of Lords

Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport

This was a difficult badge to create as it had to have traditional heraldic images for modern concepts like digital technology. Starting with the arts, I decided to focus on music and hence used a lyre harp which is the symbol of musicians. Inside this is a beacon which represents broadcasting, behind this is two crossed lightning bolts representing digital technology. Above the beacon are two crossed quills which can represent both written journalism and visual art. In heraldry sport and sportsmanship is often represented by symbols of hunting and so at the very top is a bugle horn which as well as sport also doubles as another musical symbol.

Flag of the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport

There are five junior ministers within the department at present all of whom have titles.

Minister of Digital and Culture

Minister for Media and Data

Minister for Digital Infrastructure

Minister for Sport, Tourism and Heritage

Minister for Civil Society and Digital, Culture, Media & Sport

Department for International Development

 It literally appears to be a copy of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office with the same people in the same roles. However since I did not know this when I designed the flags I thought I might as well share them anyway. I reused the symbolism of a globe but in order to distinguish it from the foreign office I used an armillary globe with the torch of enlightenment.

Flag of the Secretary of State for International Development

There are five junior ministers in this department who are also junior ministers in the Foreign Office.

Minister for Middle East and North Africa

Minister for Pacific & the Environment

Minister for Asia

Minister for South Asia and the Commonwealth

Minister for Africa

Minster for European Neighbourhood and the Americas

Minister for the Overseas Territories & Sustainable Development

Office of the Leader of the House of Commons

One of the two houses that make up the UK Parliament the flag of the Leader of the House of Commons is the same as that of the House of Lords but with the portcullis coloured green (the colour of the House of Commons)

Flag of the Leader of the House of Commons

Attorney Generals Office

The badge on the Flag of the Attorney General is the Sword and Scales of Justice with the Royal Arms imposed upon it.

Flag of the Attorney General

This flag is distinguished from the Advocate General by the non Scottish variant of the shield and the Cross of St George in the 1st quarter. Under the Attorney General is the Solicitor General who's flag also features the sword and scales of justice but with the St Edwards Crown imposed upon it.

Flag of the Solicitor General

 Last but by no means least is the Cabinet Office (there is still the office of HM's Advocate General for Scotland and the Office of UK Finance however both those offices have no junior ministers and their Secretaries of State have already been mentioned).

Cabinet Office

The Cabinet Office is the Prime Minister's office. Hence with a few exceptions its junior ministers use the Royal Coat of Arms as used by HM Government unless they have a flag for a relevant title.
The current Minister of the Cabinet Office is also the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. This is usually a ceremonial role given to a minister without a portfolio or title. The badge is of course the coat of arms of the Duke of Lancaster

Flag of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

Another ceremonial title that is often given to a junior minister in the Cabinet Office is Paymaster General. The badge I designed for this is the lion passant from the Royal Crest standing on a key.

Flag of the Paymaster General

All the other junior ministers with the exception of the Minister for Defence People & Veterans (who uses the MOD flag) use the royal coat of arms.

1st Minister of State without a title

2nd Minister of State without a title

3rd Minister of State without a title

Parliamentary Under Secretary without a title

There are in addition three titles relating to the Privy Council that are usually held by members of the Government; Lord High Chancellor,  Lord President of the Council and Lord Privy Seal. At present these are held by Secretaries of State so there is no need for them to use a separate flag. However in case that should change in the future the holders of these offices could use the variant of the Royal Arms used by the Privy Council in a flag, that is the same as the Home Office but with a round shield.

Flag of the Lord High Chancellor

Flag of the Lord President of the Council

Flag of the Lord Privy Seal

That concludes the ministerial flags. I think this system works better than simply defacing Union Flags as by using the labels the same badge is able to be used more than once.