Sinn Fein/IRA orchestrated areas of conflict

Keady

Court told of 'Vicious' attack on Orangemen

A senior police chief has described to a court a "brief but quite vicious" incident when Orangemen were attacked by protestors during a pre-Twelfth Sunday Church parade in Keady, last year. Supt. Blakely said the parade was due to start at 6.30 p.m. Immediately prior a group of protestors - he estimated 300 - who had assembled at St. Patrick's Street/Kinelowen Street, blocked the roadway.

Witness said he approached the protestors and spoke to Sinn Fein councillors Sean McGirr and Brian Cunningham. Supt. Blakely explained: "They said the protestors wanted to register their protest by remaining on the road, blocking it, until the parade actually reached their point. They said the protestors would then fall back to the Monument."

The Supt. said he refused their proposal, informing them it was unacceptable and would create a serious public order issue. He told them the organisers of the parade were very keen it should pass off peacefully.

Eventually, said the police chief, a compromise was reached. When the parade started off from the Orange Hall, Cllrs. McGirr and Cunningham were to ensure that the protestors fell back to behind the Monument leaving a distance of 15-20 metres between them and the marchers. Having reached the Monument there was some difficulty he said.

According to Cllrs. McGirr and Cunningham the majority of the crowd did not want to fall back. Supt. Blakely told the court there was a substantial number of civilian stewards and he was given the assurance they would link arms in front of the protestors to form a barrier. He spoke of how when the tail of the parade was almost past one man managed to break between or under the stewards line and make towards a marcher whom he physically attacked. "The line broke and a number of people attacked Orangemen" he said.

Supt. Blakely described the behaviour of the marchers as they passed as "impeccable". He said there was a brief but quite vicious melee, after the line broke, before order was re-established.

The officer said he advised Mr. McGirr that he had accepted the organisers assurances in good faith but was now of the opinion they were no longer in control of the protest. One of the Orangemen attacked gave evidence of being punched in the face by a man who broke from the protestors. "I was punched, I could feel myself being pulled and thumped. They were right round me, trying to pull me to the ground by the back of the neck and jacket. It was ripped". He said he sustained nose and ear injuries and got a sore back.

A Reserve Constable recalled that, as the last dozen or so marchers approached the Monument, a man broke from the crowd and lunged at one of the Orangemen. He alleged the attacker, who was about six feet tall, lunged with an arm and attempted to kick the Orangeman who was almost to the ground. The Officer alleged he had heard one Orangeman called an "UDR bastard".

There were shouts at two brothers about their father being shot. The Orangeman, he said, had kept walking on.

THE ULSTER GAZETTE, 7th October 1999.