| 'The Church of Ireland Bishop of Connor yesterday condemned
an arson attack on the home of one of his ministers as "an attack on
free speech" The Rev. Alan Harper spoke out as he comforted
Glenavy Rector the Rev. Earl Storey and his his wife whose home was
targeted during an early morning attack in which several windows and a car
windscreen were smashed. Mr. Storey who has published a book
recommending the church sever its ties with loyalist marchers was at home
with his wife when the thugs struck. He admitted that his book may
have provoked the attack. He said "It was trying to look in a
reasoned way and taking away the passions on the issue of the Church of
Ireland and the Orange Order'
News Letter June 14th 20012 |
| "Our parading is part of our religious worship. If
people of other religions say we cannot practise our faith then we will
say that we will do the same thing to you"
Belfast Telegragh Aug 8th 1995 |
| 'Orangemen are justified
in breaking the law to protest against parade rerouting the head of the
Orange Order said yesterday ...there comes a time when if we are breaking
the law we will have to suffer the consequences'
Belfast Telegragh July 8th 1996 |
| 'On Monday last, a group of men, describing themselves as
from the 2nd Battalion C Company of the UFF Shankill Road marched outside
Drumcree church and later fired volleys in a Protestant housing estate in
Portadown. One day later, the Church of Ireland Primate of All Ireland, Dr
Robin Eames, issued a statement which, while appealing for restraint, not
alone failed to condemn the UFF incident, it did not refer to it at all'.
Irish Times - July 7th 2000 |
| 'RUC Chief constable
Sir Hugh Annesley could not hide his exasperation after taking one of the
toughest decisions in his career. By reversing his earlier ruling which
banned the march, he swapped unionist fury for nationalist rage. As a
result Sir Hugh Annesly was ruffled. "I'm sick, he said "and so
are my colleagues, of being stuck in the middle of an unwinnable
situation" So why did he do a U-turn at Drumcree? The answer is
that there was the prospect of lives being lost once Orangemen arrived en
masse in Drumcree over the twelth. It is believed police were aware that
the mechanical digger which appeared on Orange lines earlier this week was
not the only machinery at their disposal. It was feared that there would
be an attack on police lines and the situation was likely to spiral out of
control. One theory is that Orangemen planned to spray police lines with
slurry before trying to force their way through to Garvaghy Road with
bulldozers. Sir Hugh told reporters at Portadown; "After five days of
deteriorating public order we were faced with the situation of 10,000
Orangemen lined up against thousands of police and troops"
Belfast Telegragh July 12th 1996 |
| 'The Loyalist Volunteer
Force last night vowed to do 'whatever it takes' to ensure Orangemen walk
the Garvaghy Road next weekend..In a statement to Sunday Life, an LVF
member outlined that the paramilitaries will use 'all means' to tackle
nationalist opposition to parades..the terror group also issued a death
threat against Garvaghy Road Resident's Coalition leader Brendan
MacCionnaith, just one week before the annual Drumcree march..the LVF
activist told Sunday Life "The LVF support Orangemen and whatever it
takes to get them down the road this year..'
Sunday Life, July 1, 2001 |
| "If the RUC is
continued to be perceived as those who side with the law breakers as
against the law keepers, then I dread to think what may happen if the day
comes when they succeed in causing the protestant and loyalist people to
rise up as one. I would say this police force will have nowhere to run and
nowhere to hide. The crowd responded with cries of "traitors
traitors" Mr Hoey went on to say it would be more appropriate if the title of the assistant chief constable was changed to chief of
staff of the republican movement in Belfast" - Rev William Hoey,
Church of Ireland minister and Orangeman addressing Orangemen at a confrontation
point with police on Ormeau Bridge.
Belfast Telegragh April 9 1996 |
| 'The involvement of UFF
chiefs Johnny Adair and Gary Smith in Drumcree protests was used against
them in intelligence reports put forward to justify their return to
prison'
Sunday Life, July 1, 2001 |