Youth soccer debate flares into flags
Thursday, 9 October 2008
A DEBATE about the Midnight Soccer League that was cancelled at the Joey Dunlop Leisure Centre after a sectarian incident on Friday September 12 escalated into a flags and emblems confrontation between the DUP and Sinn Fein at Monday nights meeting of Ballymoney Borough Council.
The Midnight Soccer League, designed to bring young people together in the evenings and give them something to do had to be cancelled after a group of young people from Loughguile were subjected to sectarian intimidation at the centre.
The matter was brought up at the meeting by Loughguile Alderman Harry Connolly who said, "Its a at sad state of affairs when young people enjoying themselves are subjected to abuse from a minority or maybe a majority of people in this borough. People have expressed their disgust to me at what happened. Council did not come out strongly enough against what happened. The Joey Dunlop Leisure Centre is for people from all areas of the borough and people are being deprived of access to sporting places."
Independent Councillor Bill Kennedy agreed with these sentiments adding, "This council event cost a lot of money and for such a really good programme to be abandoned whether it is a minority or a majority its irrelevant. It shouldn't have happened."
Sinn Fein Councillor Anita Cavlan said that she concurred with Alderman Connolly's comments. She said, "Council should sent out a different message. In the months of July and August flags there are flags put up outside the leisure centre. These should be removed and local council has a role in their removal or stopping flags being put up as I would in the area that I am from. All rate payers and young families should be allowed use the facility without being threatened." She went on, "The police response was extremely slow. It took an hour for them to come and by then the culprits were long gone. Someone must be able to identify them and give their names over. Is there any security at the centre to protect children and staff." she asked.
DUP Councillor Ian Stevenson said "I was sorry to hear what happened and I rang Angela (O'Hagan - Manager of Loughguile CA) to say sorry. The people who did that do not speak for the vast majority of people in Ballymoney. As a councillor for Ballymoney I am sorry for what happened."
Alderman Connolly mentioned that he had been speaking to Ms O'Hagan and that Cllr Stevenson's words had been appreciated.
Cllr Mervyn Storey said, "There was no justification for this attack at all, but there is the regrettable attempt by Sinn Fein to make the link with flags. This had nothing to do with flags. Those people decided to vent anger and there was no justification for it. Yet again Sinn Fein uses that to make a political point. Alderman Connolly was not making a political point. Sinn Fein always uses the opportunity to drag something else in. The incident needs to be condemned, not used as an opportunity to bring flags in." He concluded "This is what you would expect from a party not capable of being in government."
Sinn Fein Councillor Phillip McGuigan said "If people didn't already know the hyprocy of the DUP and Cllr Storey they know it now. They and he (Cllr Storey) have had ample opportunity to show leadership but they have run away from their civic leadership responsibilities. Over July there are flags up outside the leisure centre and along the Dunloy Road, and they are put up to mark out territory." He went on, "Cllr Storey and others fail to show leadership to make sure it doesn't happen and they should work to ensure that the Joey Dunlop Leisure Centre is a welcome place for everyone."
Cllr Storey responded " We have to keep this within the perspective of what happens with the tricolour flying in the middle of Rasharkin. Your colleague (indicating Cllr McKay) did nothing to deal with community tensions in Rasharkin." He alledged that Cllr McKay had contributed towards raising tensions in the village during the summer. He went on, "Undesirables were bussed in and intimidated Protestants, some left the village, so I'll take no lecture from Sinn Fein trying to tell me about civic leadership." He went on, "When the people across the way show civic leadership then we will take them seriously. They have failed miserably."
“What was done at the JDLC was not in the name of Protestants. I will not allow Sinn Fein to come here with whiter than white hands. There are problems in Rasharkin and he has done nothing about that."
Cllr Cavlan said " I was standing in for Cllr McKay when he was on holiday I was in Rasharkin on the Twelfth day when paint was thrown at the Orange Hall. I am not going to apologise for anything I have said. There is wrong on all sides and we should accept that. I also know what the MLA (Cllr Storey) thinks of nationalist people, anything he wishes to say, I do not wish to listen to him."
Cllr McGuigan added, "I have met members of the DUP in areas of this borough to discuss issues of flags. I am more than welcome to meet people to try to make the borough a place where flags are not used to mark out territory."
Cllr Storey said, "Tell that to your mate beside you."
