St Comgalls security alert

GAA team target of bomb attack

Two devices described as "crude" and "non-viable" have been recovered at a community centre in Antrim.
GAA players who were training at Stiles Community Centre were escorted from the building during the alert by police, who believe the attack was sectarian.
The building was cordoned off for a time on Thursday night and Friday morning but the security alert is now over.
The Mayor of Antrim has expressed his revulsion at the incident.
Adrian Watson said it was a "disgusting attack by mindless thugs who had nothing to offer the community".
"These are young men training in a community centre surrounded by hundreds of homes," he added.
"They have done nothing wrong, bar being members of a GAA club."
The GAA is a sporting and cultural organisation which draws its members overwhelmingly from the Catholic community. Its properties and members have often been attacked by loyalist paramilitaries.
Despicable
Tommy Crilly, chairman of St Comgall's GAA club, said: "We are a patently non-sectarian organisation, whose concerted efforts in encouraging participation from all sections of the Antrim community are well recognised.
"We would very much wish to be allowed to continue in safety to make our ongoing significant contribution to the rich sporting life of the Antrim area."
Alliance MLA David Ford described the attack as "despicable".
"This facility plays a vital role in the wider community and this feels like an attempted assault on the whole community.
"Those behind this pipe bomb are an isolated few who can never, and must never, be allowed to hamper the strong progress made in building peace."
The attack was also condemned by DUP MLA Trevor Clarke.

Patrique

Never let this put yous off, you have done some amount of work spreading the gospel of the gael in antrim in recent years, keep it up and dont be deterred by sectarian thugs like this.

They have tried to put yous out of tescos through intimidation now they are trying physical tactics.

Keep up the good work.

St Comgalls ABU

"They have done nothing wrong, bar being members of a GAA club."

Hmmm, would anyone else see a dig in this comment?

RMDrive wrote:"They have done nothing wrong, bar being members of a GAA club."

Hmmm, would anyone else see a dig in this comment?

I saw that as well, and I think it was a deliberate dig at players in the GAA up there. He's in the UUP, and I'm sure there are a few more members in there who despise the GAA and discriminate against it's members.

It's an atrocious, callous thing that occured and thank God no-one was killed. I really feel sorry for the players, and they won't feel safe playing there now for a long time. They probably never have felt safe playing anyway. Disgusting people who did this.

Teams like Antrim and Derry should be banned from playing Gaelic Games in my opinion. Its too dangerous. Its like the Gaza Strip up there some days.

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:Teams like Antrim and Derry should be banned from playing Gaelic Games in my opinion. Its too dangerous. Its like the Gaza Strip up there some days.

Why should they succomb to a few bitter, twisted people up there. The North of Ireland is rightfully Ireland, whether it's part of the UK or not-it has been for thousands of years Ireland, and if it wasn't for a couple of selfish British people, it would still be just 'Ireland.'

If Antrim and Derry were to withdraw from the GAA, they would be giving into these people and in a way, saying what they were and are doing i.e. trying to bomb GAA clubs and Catholics, is right. There are so many talented players in Antrim and Derry who have a love of the game, why should they stop to please a gang of imbeciles?

And in withdrawing Antrim and Derry from the GAA, surely there would a huge revolt from this side, against the unionists and more people would be killed. It would very much be a vicious circle.

Loyal, Derry and Antrim simply couldn't nor wouldn't pull out of the GAA, there are so many reasons not to, one of the main ones being-why should they yield to murderous, discriminative people?

In Northern politics you often have to temper your condemnation - its part of the charade.

Been there done that worn the tee shirt, had friends and coaches murdered for their religion and sport.

I stood by the grave side of a coach and listened to a gael the victims brother cry as he told the crowd "they cannot deter us, they can only make us stronger". I stand by those words with regards these sort of cowardly attacks!!

I think loyal is trying to be funny to be honest, i wouldnt respond, he has that normal irish sense of humour that states we laugh at anything.

JC dont normally pull you up on this but your comment last could you elaborate? i dont want to pull you up, just not totally understanding what you are getting at.

No doubt this was a sickening attack and we need more people in the "south" to hear about more of the attacks that go on against the gaa in the north, during these periods of "normality" as in having two team mates arrested a year and a half ago for carry hurls, the PSN/RUC cliamed they where offensive weapons.

The GAA in the north is getting stronger and stronger and long may it continue as the gaa is an all ireland organisation which, brings us all closer to "a nation once again".

RMDrive wrote:"They have done nothing wrong, bar being members of a GAA club."

Hmmm, would anyone else see a dig in this comment?

Pretty normal practice for unionists to not condemn "their own" without having a pop at the nationalist/republican community!!

RMDrive wrote:"They have done nothing wrong, bar being members of a GAA club."

Hmmm, would anyone else see a dig in this comment?

Was Mr. Watson the politician that was caught out posting sectarian bile on a different GAA site in the past?

EDIT

Now that I think a bit longer I think it was a different councillor, Watson was the one who finds children wearing GAA jerseys offensive

black&white wrote:

Was Mr. Watson the politician that was caught out posting sectarian bile on a different GAA site in the past?

He's not posting on HS by any chance?

North Side Gael wrote:JC dont normally pull you up on this but your comment last could you elaborate? i dont want to pull you up, just not totally understanding what you are getting at.

No prob NSG. What I mean is that you will often see guarded condemnations of various events because they fear outright condemnation would not go down well with their community. Its like sometimes they are sorry about something but saying they are not really at the same time.

Gotya JC, thought that was the case but then got paranoid lol

Aye its all about keeping your own happy while trying to look like your represent everyone!!

Lot of nonsense, just like stormont lol

Adrian Watson was blamed for the Tesco thing but was innocent. He is not the brightest spark, but not the worst politician either and has performed a few favours for us in the past.

The Tesco thing is 0ongoing, being handled by the Ulster President.

The "attack" was probably by those kids I can see if I look out the window. We have a few Celtic supporting teenage patriots who try to wind up the other crowd at the bottom of the estate, I swuspect it was the "other2 kids who tried to do this in retaliation to a member of the GAA being blown up last week.

Amazing world isn't it. I actually live in Stiles and used to run a youth club in the community centre.

The above mentioned Tommy Crilly is Chair of the club but also the banjo player in my musical group.

To be honest, I was more concerned with GAA members being blown up.

Not prepared to get into politics on this patrique but just a personal reminder from me to you, this thread was set up about the attack on your club not an attack on the PSNI.

North Side Gael wrote:Not prepared to get into politics on this patrique but just a personal reminder from me to you, this thread was set up about the attack on your club not an attack on the PSNI.

Tá brón orm.

I thought it was about attacks on the GAA.

go raibh mhaith agat

Just a reminder so we dont get off track pat!!