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August 31, 2005

Loyalists Fire Bomb Another Catholic School

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News about Ireland & the Irish

BT 08/31/05 Another School Torched By Bigots
UT 08/31/05 Arsonists Prompt 'More Resources' Call
SF 08/31/05 SF Challenges Paisley Over Sectarian Attacks
SF 08/31/05 PSNI Failing To Tackle Loyalist Campaign
BB 08/31/05 School Arson Attack 'Sectarian'
BT 08/31/05 Loyalists Target Catholic School
BT 08/31/05 Prayer Walk Aims To End Loyalist Feud
NL 08/31/05 FAIR - We Still Support Ulster Campaign
NH 08/31/05 One-Sided 'Love Ulster' Initiative
BT 08/31/05 Viewpoint: Action On IRA Arms Is Needed
BT 08/31/05 ABS System On Crash Bus Was Disabled
UT 08/31/05 TDs To Meet Rossport Five
BB 08/31/05 Tribute To 60 Years Of Van The Man

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http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=659366

Another School Torched By Bigots

P7 classroom gutted on eve of new term

By Marie Foy
31 August 2005

The principal of the second school in Ballymena to be
targeted by sectarian arsonists in two days said today he
did not know if his classrooms would be ready for
tomorrow's start of term.

Liam Corey of St Louis Primary School was speaking after
arsonists smashed a window and poured flammable liquid in
before setting it alight.

One classroom was completely gutted and ten others suffered
smoke damage.

The school, attended by around 280 children, was due to re-
open to pupils tomorrow after the summer break but Mr Corey
said he had not had a chance to assess the damage and see
if that would be possible.

"It is particularly disappointing that it was a P7
classroom which was gutted. These pupils are under pressure
right from the beginning of the year to prepare for the
transfer test," he said.

Superintendent Terry Shevlin vowed to bring to justice
those responsible for the attack. Forensic officers were
today at the Cullybackey Road school.

On Monday night petrol bombers also attacked classrooms in
St Mary's Primary School in Harryville in the town.

It follows a wave of sectarian attacks on Catholic homes,
churches and schools in the Ballymena area recently.

Earlier this month, police issued fire-blankets to under
siege Catholic families in nearby Ahoghill.

Speaking at the scene today, Superintendent Shevlin said he
was disgusted by the attacks and would demand extra
resources in addition to those already in place to deal
with recent attacks in Ahoghill.

"Our policing response will be robust," he said.

"We will bring all the available techniques we have to this
situation. However, I must again appeal to the wider
community to be the eyes and ears for the vulnerable
Catholics in the Ballymena district."

He said that in the past number of weeks people had been in
custody for intimidation and criminal damage.

"However, there are patently still people out there who
have this intent but I am resolved to bring them to
justice."

SDLP councillor, Declan O'Loan, said: "It is essential that
the elected representatives go beyond condemnation and look
at the causes of this very determined sectarian campaign.

"Something shocking is happening in our midst."

Mayor Tommy Nicholl said: "I am disgusted and appalled that
once again a property has been attacked. The vast majority
of the people of Ballymena want nothing to do with this.

"I'm calling on anyone behind this and other attacks to
call them off. This will not further any cause. This is not
part of the Protestant and unionist ethos."

And Sinn Fein's Philip McGuigan described it as another
"despicable sectarian incident". "People are beginning to
wonder where this campaign is going to end," he said.

Meanwhile, detectives were today investigating a sectarian
motive for a paint bomb attack on a house in Newtownabbey.

At around 11.25pm three paint bombs were thrown at a house
at Bleach Green Avenue.

It is understood there were people in the house at the time
but no-one was injured. Although no windows were broken
paint damage was caused to the walls and windows.

A PSNI spokesman said initial inquiries suggested it was a
sectarian attack.

SDLP councillor, Noreen McClelland, said the incident was a
worrying development.

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http://www.utvlive.com/newsroom/indepth.asp?id=64435&pt=n

Arsonists Prompt 'More Resources' Call By Police Commander

A police commander in Northern Ireland today requested
additional resources to be drafted into his area to patrol
streets near Catholic schools in Ballymena after another
sectarian attack.

By:Press Association

Superintendent Terry Shevlin, the District Commander, made
the request after St Louis Primary School in the Co Antrim
town was targeted by arsonists.

The announcement came as the Northern Ireland Office
claimed crime levels in the province had fallen to their
lowest in recent years.

The number of offences recorded by police between 2003/2004
and 2004/2005 dropped by 8% from 127,953 to 118,124 - the
lowest recorded in Northern Ireland since 1998/1999.

A classroom window at St Louis` Primary School on the
Cullybackey Road was forced open last night and an
accelerant poured in and set on fire.

The blaze damaged the floor and blackened the room and
surrounding area. It happened a day after five petrol bombs
were thrown into the canteen and library of St Mary`s
Primary School in the Harryville area of the town.

A Catholic church in Harryville was targeted in recent
weeks in paint bomb attacks.

Catholic homes and property have also been targeted in the
village of Ahoghill, where police issued families with fire
blankets, and in Rasharkin.

Mr Shevlin said the new resources would enable him to mount
static police operations at vulnerable targets, such as
Catholic schools.

"This is in addition to patrols in places like Dunclug,
Ahoghill and Harryville, where there have been recent
disturbances, and patrols aimed at disrupting the
activities of those involved in the loyalist feud," he
said.

"These are all operations that will be obvious for all to
see, but I am also deploying resources for covert
patrolling.

"This is an immediate response, but it is not one that we
can sustain over a long period."

Mr Shevlin said the community must play its part in
stopping the attacks.

Police required information to arrest the culprits and
bring them before the courts, he said.

Following criticism from nationalists, Democratic Unionist
leader the Rev Ian Paisley again condemned the attacks in
his North Antrim constituency last night and dismissed
criticism that his party had not done enough in the face of
the violence.

In a separate sectarian attack, three paint bombs were
launched at a house in Bleach Green Avenue, Newtownabbey,
Co Antrim. Brickwork and windows were damaged, but police
said no windows were smashed in the incident at about
11.25pm on Tuesday.

Gordon Topping, chief executive of the North Eastern
Education and Library Board, said the attacks on the two
Catholic schools were, in reality, attacks on all schools.

"The money to repair the damage and replace equipment and
materials all comes out of the one pot," he said.

"All schools and all children suffer because the funds are
limited. The vandals may as well attack the school their
families attend. The effect is the same.

"The Board`s maintenance staff are doing all they can to
support the schools in the clean up operation to ensure
they get back in business as soon as possible."

Sinn Fein Assembly member Philip McGuigan challenged Mr
Paisley to do more to stop the violence.

The North Antrim MLA said: "These attacks are happening in
a climate were Ian Paisley and his DUP refuses to engage
with Sinn Fein and were he refuses to share power in the
North (of Ireland) with nationalism.

"This sends the very clear message that nationalists and
republicans in his opinion are second class citizens. This
fact is giving political cover to this current violent
campaign.

"I am challenging Ian Paisley to do the right thing and to
work with all elected representatives in his own
constituency, including myself, to find a way of ending
these attacks. That is the kind of political leadership
that is required. It is required now before lives are
lost."

SDLP councillor Declan O`Loan said the attacks on Catholic
property indicated a deep communal problem in the area.

"It is absolutely essential that the elected
representatives go far beyond condemnation and start
examining the primary causes of this very determined
sectarian campaign against Catholic buildings," he said.

"This puts a particular responsibility on unionist
politicians to engage with nationalist politicians,
including myself."

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http://www.sinnfein.ie/news/detail/10882

Sinn Féin Challenges Paisley Over Sectarian Attacks

Published: 31 August, 2005

Commenting after a second Catholic primary school in
Ballymena has been attacked in as many days Sinn Féin North
Antrim MLA Philip McGuigan said that not enough is being
done to stop the campaign against Catholics and their
property and has challenged Ian Paisley to do more.

Mr McGuigan said:

"This is the second attack on a primary school in Ballymena
in as many days. People are absolutely sickened and
disgusted that these attacks are continuing and that they
are being directed towards education facilities of
children. Nowhere near enough is being done to bring these
attacks to an end.

"Yesterday I listened to the MP for this constituency Ian
Paisley say that he had no influence over those that are
waging this campaign. I disagree with this assertion. Most
Nationalists and Republicans think that Ian Paisley has a
great deal of influence over the section of community that
is carrying out these attacks. His party sits on forums
elsewhere in the North with the UDA, The UVF and with other
Unionist paramilitaries. Has this contact been used to ask
them to stop attacking homes, chapels, and schools in North
Antrim?

"These attacks are happening in a climate were Ian Paisley
and his DUP refuses to engage with Sinn Féin and were he
refuses to share power in the North with Nationalism. This
sends the very clear message that Nationalists and
Republicans in his opinion are second class citizens. This
fact is giving political cover to this current violent
campaign.

"I am challenging Ian Paisley to do the right thing and to
work with all elected representatives in his own
constituency, including myself, to find a way of ending
these attacks. That is the kind of political leadership
that is required. It is required now before lives are
lost." ENDS

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http://www.sinnfein.ie/news/detail/10886

PSNI Failing To Tackle Loyalist Campaign

Published: 31 August, 2005

Sinn Féin spokesperson on Policing Gerry Kelly has said
that the PSNI have abjectly failed to tackle the ongoing
unionist paramilitary campaign against Catholics and
nationalists.

Mr Kelly said:

"Over the past number of weeks the sectarian campaign being
waged against Catholics and nationalists in areas like
North Antrim has intensified. It has not met with a robust
response from the PSNI. In fact the contrary would appear
to be the position.

"Instead of confronting those organisations responsible too
often the PSNI have publicly failed to even acknowledge
that the motivation behind this campaign is sectarian. In
doing so they are providing cover for those behind the
nightly attacks. It sends out a message that there is a
toleration of loyalist violence and an acceptance that
these attacks will continue without hindrance.

"People feel that unionist paramilitaries are being allowed
to set the agenda. Vulnerable and isolated nationalist
communities are being exposed to a completely unacceptable
level of violence and intimidation.

"It is a widely accepted fact that the PSNI control agents
at every level within these loyalist gangs. There is a
suspicion that it is this relationship which is dictating
the softly softly approach being adopted by the PSNI on the
ground to these attacks.

"In recent weeks we have had 5 murders directly linked to
the UVF. We have had scores of attacks on nationalists,
these attacks continued again last night, yet people are
not appearing before the courts. It is simply not
believable to suggest that the PSNI are doing their level
best to address this situation." ENDS

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/4199646.stm

School Arson Attack 'Sectarian'

An arson attack on a Catholic primary school in County
Antrim is being treated as sectarian by police.

Fire crews were called to Saint Louis Primary School on the
Cullybackey Road in Ballymena at about 2300 BST on Tuesday.

A window had been broken and liquid poured in and set
alight. One classroom was destroyed and ten others
sustained smoke damaged.

On Monday, nearby Saint Mary's Primary School was attacked
with petrol bombs.

Windows were smashed and damage estimated at £1,000 was
caused to the school in the Harryville area of the town.

Superintendent Terry Shevlin said police had allocated
extra resources to the area following the spate of recent
attacks.


----
SECTARIAN BALLYMENA ATTACKS 1 JUNE TO 31 AUGUST

Total attacks 45

Attempted murder 1
Petrol bombs 3
Disturbances 2
Intimidation 4
Criminal damage 24
Assault 8
Theft 2
Arson 1

29 victims Catholic
11 victims Protestant
5 victims undetermined

Source: PSNI
----

"Over the past few weeks we have received additional
resources following other incidents and the latest new
resources will enable me to mount static police operations
at vulnerable targets, such as Catholic schools," he said.

"This is in addition to patrols in places like Dunclug,
Ahoghill and Harryville, where there have been recent
disturbances, and patrols aimed at disrupting the
activities of those involved in the loyalist feud."

Sinn Fein assembly member Philip McGuigan has condemned
those responsible.

"This is another disgraceful attack on a primary school in
Ballymena," he said.

"People are absolutely sickened and disgusted at this
continuing campaign."

SDLP councillor Declan O'Loan said such attacks could not
be blamed on a tiny section of the community and indicated
a deep communal problem in the area.

"It is absolutely essential that the elected
representatives go far beyond condemnation and start
examining the primary causes of this very determined
sectarian campaign against Catholic buildings," he said.

Meanwhile, separate attack in County Antrim is also being
treated as sectarian by police.

Paint was thrown at a house in Bleach Green Avenue in
Newtownabbey on Tuesday night, damaging windows and walls.

DUP MP for East Antrim Sammy Wilson said he strongly
condemned the attack.

"I don't suppose there is any point in me making appeals
because I suspect the people who carry out these acts are
well beyond the persuasion of politicians," he said.

"I think the community needs to be vigilant, anything that
is seen suspicious needs to be reported to the police, the
police must be active."

Story from BBC NEWS:
Published: 2005/08/31 11:35:23 GMT
© BBC MMV

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http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=659295

Loyalists Target Catholic School

By Nevin Farrell
31 August 2005

A headmaster was yesterday sifting through charred debris
following the most recent of a series of sectarian attacks
at his Co Antrim school in recent years.

Martin Kearney and staff arrived at St Mary's Primary
School in Ballymena's Harryville area yesterday to talk
about preparing their curriculum for the new school year
which starts tomorrow, but instead they were confronted
with damage from a multiple petrol bomb attack.

Mr Kearney, who helped to put out a fire following a
previous arson attack at the Catholic school in 2000, said
it was fortunate the five devices, which caused damage to a
library and canteen, had burnt out.

But severe smoke damage at the library has led Mr Kearney
to discuss the situation with the North Eastern Education
and Library Board to see if the books are fit to be used.

He said: "The books are smoke damaged and discoloured and
for health and safety reasons may not be able to be used
again. There was damage to the carpet and some fittings in
the library. The cost is likely to be significant, but it
can't be determined yet."

He said the pupils would be disappointed but that their
"resilience" always spurs him on.

DUP leader, the Rev Ian Paisley, said: "I have
unequivocally condemned all such attacks. These attacks
ought to cease, but I'm afraid I would have no influence
whatsoever with the people that are responsible."

Education Minister Angela Smith said: "To attack a primary
school with petrol bombs is completely unacceptable.

"Any attack on a school is an attack on the community, on
our children, our teachers and the entire education system.
Everyone in a position of responsibility in our society
needs to make it clear that these attacks are totally
unacceptable."

North Antrim Sinn Fein MLA Philip McGuigan said nobody
could sink any lower than to attack primary schools.

He said the incident was the result of a campaign of
sectarianism against the Catholic community.

He called for members of the DUP to use their influence to
bring the attacks to an end.

SDLP councillor Declan O'Loan said: "After 10 days of
relative peace and calm, it is very disappointing to see
this resurgence of sectarian incidents.

"Coming so close to the start of the new school year, it
leaves the children and staff starting out on a low note.

"This is not what we should be offering our children,"
added Cllr O'Loan.

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http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=659325

Prayer Walk Aims To End Loyalist Feud

By Ashleigh Wallace
31 August 2005

A north Belfast pastor is planning on taking to the streets
this weekend for a 'prayer walk' aimed at halting the
loyalist feud.

For the last two nights, Pastor Jack McKee from the New
Life City Church and members of his congregation spent
hours delivering leaflets to houses in the Ballysillan and
Silverstream areas where several murders and shootings have
occurred in recent weeks.


The leaflets are being used to inform local residents of a
series of prayer walks which will be taking place each
Sunday for the next four weeks.

Following a set rota, a total of 50 'New Lifers' will be
turning out in teams to pray both for an end to the feud
and for those families who have suffered as a result of
recent paramilitary violence.

Speaking yesterday, before the last of the leaflets were
delivered, Pastor McKee said: "All too often, the church is
seen as the silent voice in the community. We at New Life
want to try and reverse that and give the church a voice.

"When people are killed or seriously injured, it's usually
the minister who goes to the hospital or who goes to see
the bereaved families.

"So, rather than just being there for people, our church
wants to try and prevent the bereavements and hospital
visits from happening."

Pastor McKee spent Monday evening and last night delivering
leaflets in north Belfast.

When asked about the mood in Ballysillan, Pastor McKee
said: "There is still quite a lot of tension.

"Local people appreciate things are quiet at the minute but
many feel this is a lull and there are concerns plans are
afoot for more lives to be taken in the coming weeks."

The Belfast pastor also revealed that during the prayer
walks, leaflets will also be handed out to "the leadership
of the organisations involved in the feud" as well as
members of the security forces to ensure their presence is
known.

The first prayer walk is due to take place between 9pm and
midnight on Sunday.

Each person taking part in the walks will be wearing a
white armband with a red cross.

Residents have also been invited to speak with team members
or pass on a note with prayer needs when they are out on
the street.

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http://www.newsletter.co.uk/story/22385

Victims' Group - We Still Support Ulster Campaign

Wednesday 31st August 2005

Victims' group FAIR said yesterday it remained supportive
of the newly-established Love Ulster Campaign despite
criticism from republicans, nationalists and even unionists
and loyalists.

The campaign is designed to give a voice to unionist anger
over the flow of concessions to republicanism and the
Government's alleged willingness to meet Sinn Fein/IRA
demands while disregarding their victims.

On Monday, 200,000 campaign newspapers were distributed
across the Province and a website was launched.

But the campaign has already caused controversy after
loyalists from the UDA and UVF were involved in the launch
of the scheme alongside victims, Orange Order Grand Master
Robert Saulters and others.

News Letter readers continued to call yesterday to voice
their support for the campaign but disapproval at
paramilitary involvement.

One Lisburn Orangeman said: "The UDA and UVF are as bad as
the IRA. Leave our future to the politicians."

But FAIR director William Frazer said the reasons behind
the campaign were legitimate and should not be overshadowed
by other concerns.

The plight of the victims and their feelings about IRA
concessions could no longer be ignored, he said.

He insisted the campaign newspaper was "produced free from
association of political parties and paramilitaries", but
hoped that "the concerns and facts highlighted within its
pages will assist our politicians in their task of
representing the voice of unionism" that a nationalist-
republican propaganda machine was seeking to undermine.

Loyalist and Portadown pastor Kenny McClinton - formerly
the go-between who linked the decommissioning body and the
LVF - slammed the UVF/PUP involvement in the Love Ulster
initiative.

He said: "The UVF badge says For God and Ulster, but they
know nothing about either of those things.

"I'm a Protestant pastor who loves his country, but these
people currently have me, my wife and my seven-year-old
daughter under threat of death.

"This Love Ulster newspaper is saying Ulster is now in
crisis and a united Ireland is coming. Well, when I and
others said that at the time of the Belfast Agreement the
UVF intimidated us and shot and killed others. Now they are
admitting we were right all along."

Grand Master Robert Saulters was criticised by Sinn Fein
vice-president Pat Doherty for appearing at the campaign
launch alongside loyalist paramilitaries.

"The event ends once and for all in a very public way the
pretence that the Orange Order is about culture," he
claimed.

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http://www.nuzhound.com/articles/irish_news/arts2005/aug30_one_sided_initiative__Editorial.php

One-Sided 'Love Ulster' Initiative

(Editorial, Irish News)

Although many aspects of the 'Love Ulster'
(http://www.loveulster.com/forums/ ) campaign, which was
launched yesterday (Monday), were open to parody, it was
genuinely sad to find a group of people expressing such
outspoken support for a blatantly one-sided initiative.

The campaign made no effort whatsoever to acknowledge that
violence has touched all areas of society in Northern
Ireland.

Instead, its website bluntly asked; 'Are you a Protestant
victim of the Troubles? If so, post your story here.'

It was accompanied by a 12-page newspaper which examined
republican aggression in detail without making a single
reference to the existence and activities of loyalist
paramilitary groups.

Given that the overwhelming threat to ordinary people in
Protestant districts over recent years has come from
vicious internal feuds involving organisations like the
UVF, the UDA and the LVF, this was a bizarre state of
affairs.

The organisers claimed in advance of yesterday's launch
that they were opposed to loyalist paramilitaries and did
not want them to play a part in the new campaign.

When UDA leaders turned up at Larne to help distribute the
Love Ulster newspapers, a very different story emerged,
with one campaign supporter suggesting that loyalist
paramilitary groups were 'part of the Protestant community'
and needed to make a contribution.

Nationalists and unionists are equally entitled to put
their case across robustly, but pretending that
sectarianism is confined to a single section of a divided
community is a shallow and deceitful exercise.

Those who have endorsed the Love Ulster project have
displayed poor judgment, to put it mildly.

August 31, 2005

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http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/opinion/story.jsp?story=659319

Viewpoint: Action On IRA Arms Is Needed

WAITING GAME: Rapid moves are essential for fresh talks

31 August 2005

Four weeks on from the IRA's "dump arms" statement, the
arrival back at his office in Belfast of General John de
Chastelain and his fellow commissioners has inevitably
fuelled speculation that moves are imminent on the
decommissioning front.

Everyone knows that a rapid completion of the disarmament
process is essential if the Government's attempts to
convene a fresh round of talks this autumn are to have any
prospect of breaking the political deadlock.

Unfortunately, the world has been left during the past
month to wait and wonder. Did the IRA's statement really
represent a step-change or was it just more window-
dressing?

The longer the hiatus, the more doubts will grow. Unionists
are understandably sceptical about the IRA's intentions and
events such as the stage-managed re-emergence of the
defiant Colombian Three simply add to the disquiet.

Reports - as yet unconfirmed - that former paramilitaries
may be admitted to the Police Service provide another
irritant. Any proposals of this nature must be placed in
the public domain, rather than being a shadowy side-deal
involving Sinn Fein and the Government.

Further foot-dragging by the IRA on the crucial issue of
decommissioning will simply sour the atmosphere even more.
After all the hype that surrounded the July 28 statement,
the public needs to see action.

The acid test for the IRA was always whether its deeds
would match its words. While the Army moved swiftly into
action on the demilitarisation front, republicans have
failed to give any timetable for the disposal of its
stockpiles.

At present, all that people have to go on is supposition.
The hope is that the Irish Justice Minister, Michael
McDowell, is correct when he says that putting arms beyond
use will take place "in fairly rapid order".

Certainly, a long drawn out process would be in nobody's
interests. The faster that arms can be taken out of the
equation, the better the prospects for political agreement.

While the pressure is at present on the IRA, the various
loyalist paramilitaries must not shirk their
responsibilities. Guns have no place in this society, on
either side of the sectarian divide.

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

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=659315

ABS System On Crash Bus Was Disabled

By Debra Douglas
31 August 2005

An inquiry into the Navan bus crash in which five teenage
girls were killed and 46 pupils were injured in May has
found the anti-lock braking system on the bus was disabled.

And it has emerged tests carried out on seven other Bus
Eireann school buses found that all had anti-lock brakes
(ABS) which were disabled.

Two school buses and five public buses were examined at
Dublin Bus's Broadstone depot as part of an independent
inquiry into the horror bus crash.

All seven vehicles failed the test for a working ABS system
which would prevent the brakes from jamming in the event of
an emergency and help a vehicle to stay on the road.

In response to the findings, Bus Eireann has now hired a
private contractor to examine its ABS systems.

The tragedy led to calls both in the Republic and Northern
Ireland for seatbelts to be fitted to all school buses.

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http://www.utvinternet.com/newsroom/indepth.asp?id=64422&pt=n

TDs To Meet Rossport Five

Seven TDs are due to meet the Rossport Five in prison this
morning.

The six independents and Joe Higgins of the Socialist Party
are concerned at the length of time the men have spent in
Cloverhill prison.

The Rossport Five are into their 64th day in jail for
refusing to give an undertaking not to obstruct work on the
Corrib gas pipeline.

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

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/4198626.stm

Tribute To 60 Years Of Van The Man

Fans of veteran singer Van Morrison have been paying
tribute to him as he celebrates his 60th birthday on
Wednesday.

Born in Belfast on 31 August 1945, George Ivan Morrison has
penned such enduring hits as Brown-Eyed Girl, Gloria and
Precious Time.

Fellow Belfast crooner Brian Kennedy said Van's songs
"moved" him.

"The songs just really speak; they reach out of the
speakers and put their arms around you and very simply sum
up how you feel yourself," he said.

"His songs have the habit of turning up just when you need
them - they're so reassuring.

"Sadness is never very far away, but there's also something
very uplifting about it. He's been the soundtrack to many,
many people's lives and particularly, at poignant times in
their lives."

Irish singer Sinead O'Connor said Van's Astral Weeks' album
was the "best record ever in the history of the world".

"I'm so jealous that it wasn't me that made it, as I'm sure
everyone is. I've probably bought about 15 copies of it and
played it out."

Affectionately known as Van the Man, Morrison left school
at 15 to join local R&B band the Monarchs, touring
throughout Europe before returning to form his own group,
Them.

They scored two notable UK Top 10 hit singles with Baby
Please Don't Go and Here Comes The Night but disbanded in
1966.

Within months the singer had returned to New York at the
prompting of producer Bert Berns. Their partnership
resulted in Brown Eyed Girl.

Londonderry pianist Phil Coulter said Morrison's work would
have a place in any hall of fame.

"He is one of the giants to have emerged, in popular music,
in this or in any other generation.

"People like Ray Charles and John Lee Hooker have regarded
Van as being in the same league and in the same game as
themselves. That in itself says it all."

Mike Mills of REM said: "Van's still the man."

Maire Brennan from Clannad described Morrison as simply
"phenomenal".

"Everyone thinks that Have I Told You Lately is a love
song, but it's a spiritual song. It's amazing how he can
get it across, and his fluency in his words.

"It's his groove, it's his shuffle, it's his blues. And
it's his Irishness as well. His heart beats with all kinds
of music. He's really the master of music for me."

Mike Scott from The Waterboys said Morrison had always been
true to himself in his music.

"There's something unique that comes through him that
doesn't come through any other musician on the planet. And
he's transmitted that faithfully for 40 years."

BBC Radio Ulster is marking his musical legacy with a
Morrison track every hour on Wednesday accompanied by
messages.

The Just Jones programme at 1500 BST will see George Jones
pay a personal tribute to Morrison who he grew up with in
east Belfast. They also played together in The Monarchs
show band.

Van Morrison Day continues at 1830 BST with Arts Extra when
a panel of musicians, writers and critics will discuss the
artistic merit of Morrison's work.

Stuart Bailie compiles a two hour show at 2000 BST
entitled: Van Morrison: A Celebration and then the day will
culminate with the Late Show playing some lesser known Van
Morrison tracks.

Story from BBC NEWS:
Published: 2005/08/31 07:39:57 GMT
© BBC MMV

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