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July 25, 2005

UVF Patrolling As Feud Deepens

News about Ireland & the Irish

IO 07/25/05 UVF Patrolling As Loyalist Feud Deepens
BB 07/25/05 Attacks 'Linked' To Loyalist Feud
BT 07/25/05 Shankill Road Shooting
BT 07/25/05 Empey: Loyalist Feud Out Of Control
BB 07/25/05 Police 'Must Disperse UVF Group'
BT 07/25/05 Protestant Group Plan Protest On Marching
BB 07/25/05 Images Of Riot Suspects Released
BT 07/25/05 Caution Urged On IRA Statement
BT 07/25/05 Boycott These Inadequate School Funds
BT 07/25/05 London Bomber Had Been Thrown Out Of Home
IO 07/25/05 Rossport Five Returned To Jail
BT 07/25/05 Commitments Finally Taking Soul To Ulster
BT 07/25/05 Orange March At Croke Park
BT 07/25/05 Ireland's Oldest Living Person Is 110 Today

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http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/story.asp?j=150589094&p=y5x5898xx


UVF Men Patrolling East Belfast As Loyalist Feud Deepens

25/07/2005 - 12:56:58

Members of the Ulster Volunteer Force are openly patrolling
the Garnerville area of east Belfast today as part of a
deepening feud with the rival Loyalist Volunteer Force.

Yesterday, armed and masked UVF men forced several families
with LVF links to leave the area.

Several dozen paramilitaries are standing around openly in
the area today, presumably to prevent those families from
returning to their homes.

The PSNI has insisted that it is doing what it can to keep
the peace and a police helicopter is monitoring the
situation.

******************************************

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/4713581.stm

Attacks 'Linked' To Loyalist Feud

A bomb and attack and a deliberate fire in north Belfast
are linked to a feud between the LVF and UVF paramilitary
groups, the police have said.

A fire caused extensive damage to a taxi depot on the
Ballysillan Road at about 0300 BST. Two other properties
were also damaged.

A blast bomb was thrown at a house in the Westway area of
Ballygomartin at about 0400 BST. No-one was injured.

It is understood some people have left their east Belfast
homes over the feud.

The police said they were called to the Garnerville area of
the city on Sunday following reports of large numbers of
people on the streets, but there were no reports of any
trouble.

A senior loyalist source has told the BBC that UVF members
went to the area and warned those with LVF links to leave.

Samuel McIlwaine, who is disabled, said the blast bomb
exploded in the driveway of his Ballygomartin home, behind
his son's car.

"It landed in the wrong house," he said.

"These people are very irresponsible. What they are doing
is satanic work - it is pure evil.

"It happened at about 0350 (BST). I had been up most of the
night with painful legs because I am disabled.

Mr McIlwaine had to use an electric chairlift to get down
the stairs.

"My wife and I are pretty shaken by it, it really took us
by surprise. We are members of no organisation - I am a
Christian."

Fire station officer Alan Cunningham said fire crews from
Westland Road and Springfield Road attended the taxi depot
blaze, which looked to have been started deliberately.

"They discovered a commercial block comprising a shop, a
taxi rank, a domestic flat and a fast food restaurant with
large amounts of smoke issuing from the roof space," he
said.

"The flat was found to be heavily smoke-logged, unoccupied
and no fire present."

However, a well-developed fire was discovered in the taxi
rank, he said.

"It engulfed two of the four rooms in there. The taxi rank
was extensively damaged in the fire.

Chief Superintendent Mike Little said police were "working
around the clock to help protect life and property" in
north Belfast.

Evidence

"I would appeal to those who are carrying out these attacks
to cease immediately before more lives are put in danger,"
he said.

"We are currently in the process of identifying those
involved in the recent attacks and we need the community's
help to turn information into evidence that we can put
before the courts."

North Belfast DUP assembly member Nelson McCausland said
more must be done to protect the public from the ongoing
feud.

"It is clear that people who are not involved do get caught
up in it and there are innocent people who suffer as well
as those who have been directly involved with the violence
and with the organisations," he said.

Two lives have been claimed in the dispute between the
paramilitary Ulster Volunteer Force and Loyalist Volunteer
Force groupings.

At the weekend, Progressive Unionist Party leader David
Ervine predicted that the feud was going to get worse.

Mr Ervine also revealed that the UVF had stopped debating
whether it will follow the IRA into a new mode.

He said the UVF had been consulting on its future but has
put the debate about going into a new peaceful mode on
hold.

Story from BBC NEWS:
Published: 2005/07/25 11:07:10 GMT
© BBC MMV

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http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=654021

Shankill Road Shooting

25 July 2005

A MAN in his 40s was today recovering from a paramilitary-
style assault carried out in Belfast's Shankill Road.

The man sustained a gunshot wound to his right leg after he
was attacked around 8pm yesterday. Following the shooting,
the victim was taken to hospital.

Last night's gun attack is not believed to be linked with
on-going tensions between loyalist factions.

******************************************

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=654006

Empey: Loyalist Feud Out Of Control

City in 'state of siege' after more attacks

By Jonathan McCambridge, Crime Correspondent
jmccambridge@belfasttelegraph.co.uk
25 July 2005

THERE were warnings today that the loyalist feud is
spiralling out of control following a series of overnight
incidents including a bomb attack and a malicious fire at a
taxi firm.

Prime Minister Tony Blair will be told about the ongoing
tensions between the UVF and LVF during a meeting with Sir
Reg Empey today.

The Ulster Unionist leader said Belfast was currently in a
"state of siege" after the feud - which has already claimed
two lives - escalated overnight.

The latest violence comes only days after the Government
said it would withhold the PUP's Assembly allowances
because of its links to the UVF.

Police said some residents have left their homes in the
Garnerville area of east Belfast following reports of a
large number of people on the streets.

Loyalist sources indicated that UVF members had visited the
area and issued warnings.

A large gang of men remained on the streets this morning
and there was a police and Army presence. Journalists were
warned to leave the area.

The Ballysillan Road remained closed for several hours
overnight following a malicious fire at the Sunningdale
Taxis depot shortly after 3am.

Loyalist sources have blamed the attack on the LVF.

The area around the depot remained sealed off this morning
and there was extensive damage to the property and two
neighbouring shops.

A blast bomb was thrown at a house in the Westway area of
Ballygomartin in west Belfast at 4am. No one was injured
and minor damage was caused.

Local residents claimed the wrong house had been targeted.

Police have said all incidents are linked to "tensions
among loyalist groupings".

The latest tension between the LVF and UVF erupted earlier
this month and has led to two murders and a series of other
shootings and bombings.

UUP leader Sir Reg Empey said he would raise the escalation
of violence during a meeting with Tony Blair today.

He said: "Currently the atmosphere in Belfast is terrible.
People are living in a state of siege - it will be one of a
number of paramilitary-related matters I will raise with
the Prime Minister.

"People have to come forward to mediate in this feud before
there are further fatalities. There is evidence of a loss
of control in this feud and there is fear in the
community."

North Belfast DUP MLA Nelson McCausland added: "The
situation now is clearly deteriorating - there have been
several murders and attacks on homes and businesses - this
is something everyone in the community wants to see brought
to an end.

"However, the indications are that the situation will
continue to deteriorate even further - there seems to be
no-one on either paramilitary side interested in bringing
this to an end."

******************************************

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/4714715.stm

Police 'Must Disperse UVF Group'

The police should do more to disperse dozens of UVF
associates gathered in the Garnerville area of east
Belfast, a leading unionist has said.

It follows a bomb attack and a deliberate fire in north
Belfast linked to a feud between the LVF and UVF
paramilitary groups.

DUP MP Sammy Wilson said police were "simply watching" the
group.

However, Chief Superintendent Henry Irvine said the PSNI
was "working hard to resolve tensions".

Local Presbyterian minister, the Reverend Richard Hill,
said the police were "doing their best" and were "very much
present".

It is understood some people have left their homes in
Garnerville over the feud.

The police said they were called to the area after reports
of large numbers of people on the streets, but there were
no reports of any trouble.

A senior loyalist source told the BBC that UVF members went
to the area on Sunday night and warned those with LVF links
to leave.

On Monday, Mr Wilson said the people there were aiming to
"intimidate and create fear".

"Yet they are simply being watched by the security forces,"
he said.

"I think the police could do more. The police obviously
know why the men are standing around as they are at
present.

"For the people watching this at the weekend to see the
police looking so powerless only undermines the credibility
and the authority of the police," he said.

'Maintaining a presence'

Rev Hill said a number of community policemen who would
know the locals well were doing their best to calm the
situation.

He said there had been about 300 people associated with the
UVF in the Garnerville area on Sunday night.

The situation has remained calm overnight and I would
appeal for calm and urge those in the community with
influence to use that influence

Chief Superintendent Henry Irvine

"This morning, there are probably about 100 men milling
around the area and just maintaining a presence," he said.

"As well as that, you probably have soldiers and police
presence and a helicopter flying overhead and monitoring
the whole situation."

He added: "I suspect they are just guarding the place. They
have put some families out and I suspect that they are
there to ensure they don't come back in."

Chief Superintendent Henry Irvine said: "The situation has
remained calm overnight and I would appeal for calm and
urge those in the community with influence to use that
influence.

"We are very much aware of the concerns of the local
community - these situations cannot be resolved by the
police alone - but let me reassure you my officers are on
the ground and working hard to resolve tensions."

A fire caused extensive damage to a taxi depot on the
Ballysillan Road in north Belfast at about 0300 BST. Two
other properties were also damaged.

A blast bomb was thrown at the house of a disabled man in
the Westway area of Ballygomartin at about 0400 BST. No-one
was injured.

Two lives have been claimed in the dispute between the
paramilitary Ulster Volunteer Force and Loyalist Volunteer
Force groupings.

Story from BBC NEWS:
Published: 2005/07/25 12:26:02 GMT
© BBC MMV

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http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=654013

Protestant Group Plan Protest On Marching

Demo will be held at Apprentice Boys' Derry route

By Sarah Brett
sbrett@belfasttelegraph.co.uk
25 July 2005

PLANS for a 500 strong demonstration by Protestants on the
route of the Apprentice Boys parade in Londonderry have met
with a muted response from all quarters.

Police in the city have confirmed that a group called
Protestants Against Republican Aggression (Para) has
formally applied to hold a protest on August 13 at
Ferryquay Street, traditionally the flashpoint area during
loyal order marches though the west bank.

The group says it wants to "highlight the provocative
campaign led by convicted republican terrorists who
annually disrupt loyal order parades in the city by
threatening public protests".

For several years the August Apprentice Boys march in Derry
has passed off without serious incident, due to a
pioneering talks process between the loyal order and
nationalist residents chaired by local businessmen.

The template was most recently used to success when a
ground breaking accommodation was made for the July 12
Orange Order parade though the city.

The Apprentice Boys today refused to comment on the
proposed protest, as did the police, who would not be drawn
on how they would treat a potential rally.

Chief mediator in previous talks, businessman Garbhan
O'Doherty also declined to respond.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Bogside Resident Group,
Donncha MacNiallais, said that he "won't be taking any
notice" of the proposal.

In a statement to the Telegraph, Para said its aim on
August 13 will be to "highlight the civil rights issue on
behalf of the victims of republican terror, who annually as
part of the Apprentice Boys festival parade in this city as
loyal order members, have to suffer spitting, verbal and
physical abuse and the photographing, video recording and
targeting of themselves and their associates by republican
elements".

Para has given notice to the PSNI that it expects 500
people to turn out for the protest between 1pm and 3pm -
the height of the march - at Ferryquay Street running into
the Diamond.

Recent years have seen the erection of perspex walls to
separate nationalists from marchers in this area where a
number of minor skirmishes have broken out.

******************************************

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/4713427.stm

Images Of Riot Suspects Released

CCTV images of men police wish to question in connection
with riots in north Belfast have been released.

Officers were attacked with petrol and blast bombs as they
withdrew from the Ardoyne shops area after the return leg
of an Orange Order parade to Ligoniel.

Police used water cannons and fired baton rounds during the
trouble in which about 100 officers were injured.

Chief Superintendent Mike Little said police were using all
available means to identify those involved on 12 July.

"We are asking them to come forward before we come knocking
on their doors," the North Belfast District Commander said.

He also urged the Ardoyne community to assist the inquiry.

"I would appeal to the community to work with us to
prosecute these people who bring nothing but disorder and
fear to the streets of North Belfast," the senior officer
said.

"This criminal behaviour will not be tolerated.We are
determined to bring before the courts those who have taken
part in this serious rioting and are appealing for the
public to help us identify those involved in breaking the
law."

Story from BBC NEWS:
Published: 2005/07/25 08:32:48 GMT
© BBC MMV

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http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=654007

Caution Urged On IRA Statement

By Noel McAdam, Political Correspondent
nmcadam@belfasttelegraph.co.uk
25 July 2005

AS expectations of an definitive IRA statement heightened
today, the Government was warned against "double standards"
on terrorism in the aftermath of the London bombings.

There is speculation the long-awaited IRA statement will
emphasise it will desist from all forms of active service
and effectively form itself into republican clubs.

The DUP and Ulster Unionists insist they want actions
rather than words from the Provisionals - and sounded alarm
bells that the British and Irish governments will attempt
to "talk up" the significance of the IRA statement.

Amid reports the IRA response to Sinn Fein President Gerry
Adams will come this week, Secretary of State Peter Hain
said, however, the statement must make "crystal clear" the
only future for the IRA is peaceful and democratic.

As he prepared for his first meeting with Tony Blair as
Ulster Unionist leader, Sir Reg Empey today warned the
Government against giving concessions over the on-the-run
prisoners in the current climate.

A senior Sinn Fein source said today, however: "It will
happen when it happens, but I am no more aware of it this
week than previous weeks."

There was speculation nonetheless the IRA statement could
also include a severing of all connections between Sinn
Fein and the Army Council, including a major reshuffle in
which it would be made clear that Martin McGuinness, Gerry
Adams and Martin Ferris are no longer Council members.

Sir Reg said today: "This would expose them as hypocrites
and liars because for years they have peddled the line that
there was no connection between Sinn Fein and the Army
Council."

The DUP also poured scorn on the speculation, which
Policing Board member Ian Paisley Jnr dismissed as a
"stunt".

Sir Reg also said the suspended Assembly could run in a
"scrutiny" role - which his party would be opposed to -
before fresh elections.

The UUP chief said he believed the IRA statement would
include a commitment to exclusively peaceful means but
would not include an end to the IRA itself. The core issue
of Sinn Fein joining the Policing Board - which he also
intended to raise with Mr Blair - would also not be dealt
with definitively.

"While we are obviously concerned and send our sympathy to
those affected by the London bombings, we will be saying it
is important that we do not have double standards on
terrorism," Sir Reg added.

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http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=653949

Boycott These Inadequate School Funds

SF urges boards to hold out for a 'real budget'

By Kathryn Torney, Education Correspondent
ktorney@belfasttelegraph.co.uk
25 July 2005

EDUCATION board members across Northern Ireland have been
urged to refuse to work with the "inadequate" budgets
provided by the Department of Education.

Sinn Fein representatives on all five boards are re-taking
their seats as board members but say they will not manage
or police the budget.

Sinn Fein education spokesperson Michael Ferguson said:
"Sinn Fein has a campaign that is focused on demanding from
Government a real budget that supports education and
learning.

"Sinn Fein council members will be taking their seats on
education boards and they will be not only be refusing to
police or manage the inadequate budgets provided by the
government and education department, but they will be
insisting that the public are informed of any elected
representative or non-elected representative who puts his
or her name to axing jobs, cutting school services, special
needs or transport.

"I would take this opportunity to call on all other elected
representatives and non-elected representatives to join
with us and refuse to impose this budget that will lead to
more cuts in jobs and services consequently reducing the
quality of education for our children."

Last year, the boards agreed to cut a total of £30m from
their spending in a bid to stay within budget. Services
including special needs provision, school meals, transport
and school crossing patrols were hit by the controversial
cutbacks.

Education Minister Angela Smith recently announced an
additional £12.5m for education in Northern Ireland.

The news was welcomed but is not enough to deal with the
shortfall in funding for board services.

It recently emerged that the South Eastern and Belfast
education boards had overspent their budgets by millions of
pounds for the second year in a row.

The Belfast Telegraph then revealed that the BELB had filed
its accounts for the last financial year 18 days late,
sparking criticism from the Department.

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http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=653964

Bomber Had Been Thrown Out Of Home

Ulster born wife suspected an affair

By Andrea Clements
newsdesk@belfasttelegraph.co.uk
25 July 2005

THE Ulster-born wife of one of the London suicide bombers
threw her husband out of their home just two days before
his part in the July 7 atrocity.

Former Banbridge woman, Samantha Lewthwaite (21), thought
her husband Germaine Lindsay's increasingly bizarre
behaviour was because he was having an affair, the bomber's
mother has claimed.

His eight-months pregnant wife was so convinced that
Lindsay, who detonated the bomb that killed 26 people at
King's Cross, had left her for another woman that, even
after the bombings, she did not report him missing to the
police, her mother-in-law told the Mail on Sunday.

Samantha, who changed her name to Sherafiyah after
converting to Islam aged 17, was born on December 5, 1983
and lived in Banbridge's Whyte Acres estate for two years
before moving to England with her German-born father Andrew
George, a lorry driver who had served in the 9th Lancers,
and mum Elizabeth Christine - a Banbridge native.

Samantha met Lindsay, Muslim name Jamal, three years ago
through their religion when both were at college in Luton
and 15 months ago she gave birth to his son. She is now in
protective police custody.

The details of Lindsay's last days were revealed in an
interview with his mother Maryam McLeod Ismaiyl who,
fearing reprisals, is in hiding on the Caribbean island of
Grenada, where she has been living for several months.

Samantha told her the pair had had a row, she said, adding:
"She told me he had lost his job and that she had
discovered he'd been sending text messages addressed to a
girl.

"In Islam you can take a second wife but his wife was eight
months pregnant. I know men do stray sometimes when their
wives are expecting, but I couldn't imagine Jamal doing
that, especially as they already had a 15-month-old son. I
said there had just been a bombing and maybe he hadn't come
home because he'd been hurt.

"She said, 'That's not my worry. After I discovered the
messages I told him to think about what he wanted to do,
that he needed to sort his head out and he packed some
clothes in a rucksack and left'.

"I begged her to call around and she finally reported him
missing a week later, just hours before he was named as the
fourth bomber."

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http://www.online.ie/news/viewer.adp?article=3259519

Rossport Five Returned To Jail

online.ie
2005-07-25 13:40:03+01

Five protesters against gas pipelines being built by Shell
in the west of Ireland were returned to jail today after an
attempted peace deal failed.

The men had been in Cloverhill Prison in Dublin for 27 days
after they refused to obey an injunction forbidding them
from obstructing the construction of the pipeline across
their land in Rossport, Co Mayo.

At the High Court in Dublin, lawyers for the men applied to
have the injunction discharged on the grounds that they
could not intefere because Shell had agreed to cease work
on the pipeline.

But the President of the High Court, Joseph Finnegan, said
he would not hear any application from the men until they
purged their contempt.

"It is not acceptable to me that persons in contempt should
seek the assistance of the court," he said.

The courtroom was packed with supporters of the men, who
have become known as the Rossport Five.

And there were high hopes that the men would be released
after Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural
Resources Noel Dempsey said last weekend that Shell had not
complied with the ministerial consent he had granted for
the pipeline.

Shell E&P Ireland is planning to build a 5.6-mile (9km)
pipeline across land in Mayo to take unprocessed gas from
the Corrib gas field to an onshore refinery.

Senior counsel Patrick Hanratty, representing the company,
said it had written to the five men - Micheál O'Seighin,
Willie Corduff, James Philbin, and brothers Vincent and
Philip McGrath - to assure them all construction on the
pipeline would be halted in view of Mr Dempsey's decision
to order a safety review of the project.

Reading from the letter, he said: "In these circumstances
there appears to be no good reason for your clients to
remain in prison."

But international criminal lawyer John Joe Reilly,
representing two more residents of Rossport, said the
injunction had been granted to Shell on a false premise.

But Judge Finnegan said he was quite satisfied he had not
been misled by Shell.

Senior counsel John Rogers, representing the five men, said
the lack of an explanation from Shell about work being
carried out in the absence of ministerial consent left them
in some difficulty.

Judge Finnegan said he would get an explanation from Shell
in due course but not at the behest of persons in contempt.

"If they want to make any application, they will do it when
they purge their contempt," he said.

The five men were led out of the court and into a white
prison van while their supporters cheered and clapped.

Within minutes of their court appearance, the men released
a statement in which they said they were fighting for the
freedom required by all citizens: to protect their families
and neighbours.

"We're in prison because we intend to protect our lives and
our families and our neighbours from potential disaster. We
cannot agree to a proposal which proposes to ban us from
continuing to protect our lives by opposing the Shell
pipeline," the statement said.

The men want the company to build the gas refinery offshore
to remove the need for a pipeline carrying unprocessed gas
less than 70 metres from some of their homes.

No date has yet been set for the full High Court hearing of
the men's case against the Shell pipeline but it is not
expected to proceed until the safety review is complete.

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http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=653955

Commitments Finally Taking Soul To Ulster

By Staff Reporter
newsdesk@belfasttelegraph.co.uk
25 July 2005

IRISH rock stars The Commitments are set to play their
first ever gig in Northern Ireland this month.

And the band, famous for their self-titled film in the
early 90s, hope that the gig at Cotton Court in Belfast's
Cathedral Quarter will open an opportunity for a tour of
Northern Ireland next year.

Dick Massey and Ken McCluskey, who were in the original hit
movie, are looking forward to the gig, a charity event in
aid of the Down Syndrome Association.

Dick, the band's drummer, said: "We've never actually
played a public concert in Belfast before, believe it or
not. We're flying all over the world to gigs and we've
hardly played in Northern Ireland, just 100 miles away from
our homes.

"It would be great if this could be the start of a great
relationship with Belfast; it certainly would save us
travelling 600 and 800 miles to the next gig if we could
just travel up the road."

Guitarist Ken added that the gig being a charity event was
even more reason why they couldn't have said no.

He said: "We try to make an effort to do charity events
when we can because we really believe as a band that what
goes around comes around.

"When you're in the public eye I think it's important to be
seen to support many different charities."

The band are currently playing a number of gigs in southern
Spain and Ken says they're doing their fair share of
partying.

"It wouldn't be any other way would it, we're not on stage
tonight until 2am so we'll definitely get a bit of partying
in before we go on stage.

"Hot countries can be the toughest gigs but hopefully it
won't be like that in Belfast, although we're not saying we
want rain either as it's an open-air gig. I love them."

Tickets priced £12.50 are available at all Ticketmaster
outlets, 08702434455 (or www.ticketmaster.ie). All proceeds
go to the Downs Syndrome Association.

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http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=653946

Orange March At Croke Park

By Michael McHugh
newsdesk@belfasttelegraph.co.uk
25 July 2005

THOUSANDS of fans turned Croke Park's hallowed turf a
vibrant orange on Saturday as the victors from the Orchard
County lifted the GAA's Ulster Senior Football Championship
title.

Thousands of fans bedecked in orange and white streamed
onto the pitch as scenes of joy and a cachophony of horns
and cheers filled the stadium after Armagh's victory over
Tyrone.

A massive roar greeted the final whistle and the checked
flag of the victors was borne on a wave of people towards
the triumphant team.

"Brilliant, it is just fantastic, we showed them, everybody
wrote us off and we showed them that we could do it," said
one fan, still jumping up and down, minutes after Armagh's
captain had lifted the Anglo-Celt cup

The atmosphere of celebration was in stark contrast to the
demeanour of Tyrone's faithful, who stood downcast before
exiting quickly.

A significantly-depleted crowd had watched the replay after
the stalemate earlier this month but those present enjoyed
a pulsating and gripping clash with fans' nerves on a knife
edge.

Armagh fans had their heads in their hands seconds before a
last-gasp Tyrone effort hit the post but as the Orchard
County edged ahead late on supporters embraced in
spontaneous relief and celebration.

A game which had begun sedately erupted into life during
the second half as tempers flared on the pitch and the
crowd looked on with rapt concentration and tension.

St Michael's brass band from Enniskillen kept spectators
entertained before the match and overcast skies could not
dampen the enthusiasm of those who made the pilgrimage.

The band later led the players on an Olympian-style pre-
match parade around the pitch.

At the entrance to the stadium a group of buskers led by a
Ronnie Drew look-alike entertained the crowds and
merchandise vendors were doing a brisk trade in shirts and
flags.

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http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=653935

A Remarkable Lady

Born 110 years ago today, Holywood woman Elizabeth Yensen
is Ireland's oldest living person

By Ben Lowry
blowry@belfasttelegraph.co.uk
25 July 2005

IRELAND'S oldest person - Elizabeth Yensen correct from Co
Down - celebrates her 110th birthday today.

Mrs Yensen, who lives in her own flat in sheltered housing
in Holywood, was born in Glasgow in 1895.

She is one of a handful of people left anywhere in the
world who were born several years before the end of the
19th century and have survived well into the 21st.

Mrs Yensen came to Belfast when her late Danish husband,
William, was transferred by his employer Scottish Life
Assurance in the 1930s.

She is the first person in Ulster to become a so-called
'super centenarian' - aged 110 or above - since Florence
Lyle from Belfast reached the milestone in 1997.

Mrs Lyle lived until a few days short of her 111th
birthday.

Mrs Yensen is still able to walk with assistance, and likes
to stand at her back door every day to enjoy the fresh air.

The former tea company secretary is unsentimental about old
age, saying that it can be lonely.

But she laughs at the ironies, noting that when she was
younger there was no money about, but "now I have money and
nothing to spend it on".

Chuckling at life in 2005, she observes that "there are
flying machines everywhere" - the phrase is a reminder that
she was born eight years before the first flight.

Mrs Yensen was an adult in 1914 when "all the young fellows
were called up" for the Great War.

"Trench war was terrible," she recalls, but World War II -
during which she served soldiers in a Belfast canteen - was
"more deadly" because "it was from the air".

William Yensen - "I loved him dearly" - died in the 1970s
and their daughter Evelvyn died around 20 years ago, aged
62 - the grief "nearly killed" Mrs Yensen, who has a
surviving grandson in Scotland and three great
grandchildren.

Social security records show that up to five people in
Britain are older than Mrs Yensen. Ireland's next oldest
person - a Dublin woman - is ten months younger, while the
second oldest person in Northern Ireland was born in 1898.

Britain's oldest woman is Lucy d'Abreu (113) in Stirling,
who - like Mrs Yensen - has spent most of her life in
Scotland and Ireland.

Mrs Yensen's fondness for laughter appears to support the
view held by Professor Tom Kirkwood of Newcastle
University, an authority on old age, who said: "A sense of
humour appears to be a good coping strategy that can
influence longevity."
Posted by: Unknown / 12:37 PM
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