CHARITY CONCERT CLAIMS
Charity concert claims
By STAFF REPORTER
RECRIMINATIONS were reverberating around Ballymoney yesterday in the wake of a charity concert cancelled at the last minute on Tuesday night.
The concert in the Town Hall was to have raised a substantial amount of cash for the family of the murdered Quinn brothers and the Omagh Appeal.
But yesterday there were allegations that the concert would have drawn a good audience if the Quinn family had not been among those to benefit from the event.
"There's more going on than I can say," said one source in the town who did not wish to be named.
"I have lived here all my life and there's never been any trouble, but I can't say anything about what is going on now."
The same sentiment was expressed by Sammy Smyth, the Coleraine-based organiser of the concert, who said: "A lot of people have difficulties with the Quinn family but I don't know the background to that."
Mr Smyth has also claimed that the concert may have been deliberately sabotaged. The borough's chief executive, John Dempsey, played down the whole affair.
"The first time I was made aware that the concert was taking place was when I heard it was cancelled and I think that says a lot about the promotion and marketing behind the event," he said.
Mr Dempsey also insisted that the concert had not been organised at the request of the council as had been reported.
By STAFF REPORTER
RECRIMINATIONS were reverberating around Ballymoney yesterday in the wake of a charity concert cancelled at the last minute on Tuesday night.
The concert in the Town Hall was to have raised a substantial amount of cash for the family of the murdered Quinn brothers and the Omagh Appeal.
But yesterday there were allegations that the concert would have drawn a good audience if the Quinn family had not been among those to benefit from the event.
"There's more going on than I can say," said one source in the town who did not wish to be named.
"I have lived here all my life and there's never been any trouble, but I can't say anything about what is going on now."
The same sentiment was expressed by Sammy Smyth, the Coleraine-based organiser of the concert, who said: "A lot of people have difficulties with the Quinn family but I don't know the background to that."
Mr Smyth has also claimed that the concert may have been deliberately sabotaged. The borough's chief executive, John Dempsey, played down the whole affair.
"The first time I was made aware that the concert was taking place was when I heard it was cancelled and I think that says a lot about the promotion and marketing behind the event," he said.
Mr Dempsey also insisted that the concert had not been organised at the request of the council as had been reported.
Further Information
Publisher: NEWS LETTER
Ref: NL/386
Published Date: 12-Nov-98
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