HIBS MARCH CRITICISED FOR GOING AHEAD
Hibs march criticised for going ahead
NATIONALIST bands who marched through Kilkeel on Saturday as news of the Omagh tragedy unfolded played no music as a mark of respect.
Bands also agreed to curtail their route in the flashpoint Co Down town, while Ancient Order of Hibernian members turned their sashes inside out.
But as the parade members marched to sombre single drum beats, they were greeted with a chorus of "Shame, Shame, Shame" as they passed loyalist protesters.
A spokesman for the residents condemned the bands for failing to cancel the return leg of their parade following the Omagh bomb.
But band member Hugh Rodgers said they only learned some people had died when they reached Kilkeel, adding that the full extent of the tragedy was still emerging.
"At that stage a collective decision was taken not to play music or to parade up Greencastle Street as a mark of respect," he said.
Ronald McConnell, of the Mourne Residents for Justice group, said it was "disgraceful" that nationalist supporters cheered with the Omagh bomb casting a shadow.
But one nationalist onlooker hit back saying: "Many people weren't sure of the exact details emerging on the bomb at that time but the loyalist protesters weren't very respectful.
"Why didn't they cancel their protest? Before the bands arrived they sang The Sash and chanted anti-Catholic slogans as well as throwing fireworks... which was hardly very dignified."
The Saturday evening parade - and one earlier in the day - passed off with relatively little trouble.
A large police presence kept the factions apart, although some loyalists who lay down on the roadway were quickly cleared by police.
Four nationalist bands from the Kilkeel hinterland marched in the first parade, although Attical didn't make the return journey as previously arranged.
During both parades, loyalists waving Ulster and Union flags were hemmed into Harbour Road by the security forces and nationalists stayed back in Newry Street and the lower square.
Mr McConnell, from the residents' group, was also unhappy that the Attical band - which it is understood played uncontroversial tunes - stopped and played in lower Newry Street for over 20 minutes.
Earlier, the Longstone band struck up A Nation Once Again as they led the parade through Kilkeel.
The loyalists said they weren't protesting against the parade, which they accepted was traditional, but against the Parades Commission for allowing the march while banning loyalist demonstrations in Portadown.
AOH Co Down President Tony Carroll said loyalists were wrong to link Kilkeel with Portadown.
He added: "There is no comparison with Garvaghy Road and ourselves. The Kilkeel parade goes through the town centre, not near any housing estates."
The AOH's national secretary, Dundalkman Frank Kieran, made an appeal for a resolution of parades disputes before next year's marching season.
"1998 should never happen again. Everyone should sit down now and have dialogue with all residents groups once and for all and finish this disastrous situation."
In time, he hoped parades like the Orange Order's 12th of July demonstrations, could become "a festival like Rio, bringing in tourists instead of driving them out."
In what was seen as an attack on the Orange Order over this year's Drumcree standoff, he said "some organisations want to impose their will and tradition without regard for anyone else," which had led to murder, destruction and had badly hit the tourist industry.
Superintendent James Blair said he was thankful the parades passed off largely incident-free but appealed for "tolerance" from everyone in Kilkeel.
As bandsmen and supporters travelled home to different parts of Northern Ireland many were in tears when the scale of the Omagh tragedy unfolded.
NATIONALIST bands who marched through Kilkeel on Saturday as news of the Omagh tragedy unfolded played no music as a mark of respect.
Bands also agreed to curtail their route in the flashpoint Co Down town, while Ancient Order of Hibernian members turned their sashes inside out.
But as the parade members marched to sombre single drum beats, they were greeted with a chorus of "Shame, Shame, Shame" as they passed loyalist protesters.
A spokesman for the residents condemned the bands for failing to cancel the return leg of their parade following the Omagh bomb.
But band member Hugh Rodgers said they only learned some people had died when they reached Kilkeel, adding that the full extent of the tragedy was still emerging.
"At that stage a collective decision was taken not to play music or to parade up Greencastle Street as a mark of respect," he said.
Ronald McConnell, of the Mourne Residents for Justice group, said it was "disgraceful" that nationalist supporters cheered with the Omagh bomb casting a shadow.
But one nationalist onlooker hit back saying: "Many people weren't sure of the exact details emerging on the bomb at that time but the loyalist protesters weren't very respectful.
"Why didn't they cancel their protest? Before the bands arrived they sang The Sash and chanted anti-Catholic slogans as well as throwing fireworks... which was hardly very dignified."
The Saturday evening parade - and one earlier in the day - passed off with relatively little trouble.
A large police presence kept the factions apart, although some loyalists who lay down on the roadway were quickly cleared by police.
Four nationalist bands from the Kilkeel hinterland marched in the first parade, although Attical didn't make the return journey as previously arranged.
During both parades, loyalists waving Ulster and Union flags were hemmed into Harbour Road by the security forces and nationalists stayed back in Newry Street and the lower square.
Mr McConnell, from the residents' group, was also unhappy that the Attical band - which it is understood played uncontroversial tunes - stopped and played in lower Newry Street for over 20 minutes.
Earlier, the Longstone band struck up A Nation Once Again as they led the parade through Kilkeel.
The loyalists said they weren't protesting against the parade, which they accepted was traditional, but against the Parades Commission for allowing the march while banning loyalist demonstrations in Portadown.
AOH Co Down President Tony Carroll said loyalists were wrong to link Kilkeel with Portadown.
He added: "There is no comparison with Garvaghy Road and ourselves. The Kilkeel parade goes through the town centre, not near any housing estates."
The AOH's national secretary, Dundalkman Frank Kieran, made an appeal for a resolution of parades disputes before next year's marching season.
"1998 should never happen again. Everyone should sit down now and have dialogue with all residents groups once and for all and finish this disastrous situation."
In time, he hoped parades like the Orange Order's 12th of July demonstrations, could become "a festival like Rio, bringing in tourists instead of driving them out."
In what was seen as an attack on the Orange Order over this year's Drumcree standoff, he said "some organisations want to impose their will and tradition without regard for anyone else," which had led to murder, destruction and had badly hit the tourist industry.
Superintendent James Blair said he was thankful the parades passed off largely incident-free but appealed for "tolerance" from everyone in Kilkeel.
As bandsmen and supporters travelled home to different parts of Northern Ireland many were in tears when the scale of the Omagh tragedy unfolded.
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0017
Published Date: 17-Aug-98
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