Sinn Fein/IRA orchestrated areas of conflict

Kilkeel

Kilkeel A Study In Toleration

It is interesting to compare and contrast the attitude of people to given situations. A number of Orange parades have for years been opposed by some who cannot tolerate a faith or culture that is not theirs. The contrast with what happens in the predominantly Protestant town of Kilkeel could not be more extreme.

Each year on St. Patrick's Day (17th March) and 15th August Nationalist Bands parade Kilkeel morning and evening. Let us consider a few basic facts. It is traditional to have these parades in Kilkeel.

But none of the four bands participating in the parade are local.

Bands travel from up to four miles to parade Kilkeel before and after their main parade in other towns. A triumphalist and aggressive crowd of "supporters" travel from a wide area to gather in the town centre. These "supporters" have in recent years been involved in violent attacks on the Police and on Protestants trying to go about their normal business.

The parade route passes several Churches and is directly through an area that is at least 80% Protestant.

A huge security presence is required to police the parade through the town (It is estimated that as many personnel are required to put this parade through Kilkeel as are required to prevent Portadown Orangemen walking home from Church along the Garvaghy Road). The parades disrupt the business and community life of the town for a number of hours.

Despite all the provocation the Protestants of Kilkeel have not reacted. Instead they have shown tolerance and respect for another community. What a difference that is to Garvaghy Road, Ormeau Road, Bellaghy ....... the list goes on.

A recently established residents group in Kilkeel "Mourne Residents For Justice" spell it out very clearly when they say "The roads of Kilkeel like those in the rest of Ulster do not belong to anyone. Nationalists have a right to use them for their traditional parades. The same however has to be said for Orange parades".

Why do republicans not show the tolerance of the people of Kilkeel? Only those like Brendan McKenna and Gerrard Rice can provide the answer.

Isn't it time more people started to ask the question?

St. Patricks Day A.O.H. Parade an Insult to Victims of Violence

On 17th March, 2000,The Ancient Order of Hibernians was permitted to march a controversial route through the predominately Protestant fishing town of Kilkeel, Co. Down. This annual parade has passed of peacefully for years despite recent hijacking by Republican elements.

This year they were permitted to pass the town's war memorial and cemetary where certain paramilitary individuals involved in the parade have partaken in acts of desecration. We feel that the decision of the Parades Commission to allow the parade to be extended to pass the war memorial is an insult to those who have died in the town and to those buried in the cemetary who where killed at the hands of Republicans.

Here we have the Protestant residents of Kilkeel which is 80% Protestant. These protestors do not have petrol bombs nor do they throw stones unlike the nationalists which always attack loyal order parades, as well as the security forces

Parents of victims present at the scene were even shouted at by people who had been charged with their murders. Even though the A.O.H. is staunchly anti-Protestant and Nationalist in outlook, local residents have graciously not objected to the parade given they would have far more justification than the Garvaghy Road residents. As victims we have no objection in principle to them having a parade anywhere in Northern Ireland. However, given the abuse received from those involved in the parade, and the insult it became to the memory of those who were murdered in Kilkeel and the surrounding area, if it has to pass the contentious section around the memorial, we would rather instead it were banned outright and not held again.