Garvaghy - A community under siege
In 1998, many residents of the Garvaghy Road area of Portadown
kept a daily record of their experience of the impact on their own lives
and that of their community of the Orange Order's protest at Drumcree. This
week, a selection of their writings is to be published. ``Garvaghy: A
community under siege'' tells the story of Drumcree 1998 in the words and
emotions of those nationalists who were forced to endure it. Their personal
testimonies bring sharply into focus the day-to-day reality of life on the
Garvaghy Road. It's a story of collective courage and solidarity. A story
of personal fears and tears.
Introduction
``The nationalist community in Portadown has over recent years achieved
international prominence because of its opposition to intrusive Orange
Order marches on the Garvaghy Road. According to Orange Order mythology,
what is at stake is `the right to walk the Queen's highway', a walk which
`takes seven minutes'... This book shows that the Orange Order remains one
of the central pillars of institutionalised sectarianism in the North of
Ireland. It is not the `right to march' that is being asserted, or a simple
`celebration of culture', as the Order maintains. Marching through Catholic
areas against the wishes of local residents is about flaunting the symbols
of Protestant supremacy and the culture of unionist domination.''
Testimonies
``We had gathered in the Drumcree Centre, Coalition and residents alike,
smoking, chatting and drinking tea in anticipation of the arrival of the
Parades Commission's hand delivered envelope. The North of Ireland was
holding its breath, all waiting for the decision, but no one more than us,
because we eat, sleep and breathe the road every day of the year....I
didn't see the man enter. Then my name was called. I was ushered into a
room and watched as two large brown envelopes were produced. Every eye in
the room was on them... The envelopes were opened and we crowded around...
The agonising search for the decision bore fruit on the back pages. What a
relief, they had been re-routed.''
``Today (Monday June 29) the Parades Commission made it's decision on the
Drumcree parade. I was unable to hear the radio from where I was. so at 11
o'clock I asked Maurice had he heard the decision. He told me the parade's
homeward leg was re routed. Even though I am against the Orange march,
which I feel is sectarian and triumphalist, my heart skipped a beat and my
blood ran cold. I know the Portadown Orange will not agree to re route in a
peaceful way.''
``The Coalition had rented a room at the centre, we had installed everything
we needed, a desk, telephones, filing system, computer, and if two or more
people were to enter the room, it was full. We had international observers
from America, Canada, South Africa, England and nationalists from North and
South were all due to arrive on Friday and Saturday. They all had to be
placed in homes before the big day, Sunday.''
``Almost everyone in work has stopped talking to me. If this is how they
behave and it is still days to go before the parade, what will it be like
later? Three girls, two of whom I always sit with at lunch, changed their
lunch time without telling me, so I was left sitting in the canteen on my
own. It feels awful.....Maybe it's best if I just keep my head down and not
say too much. They might leave me alone. A couple of guys in work said they
will walk the Garvaghy Road. I said you probably will. I walked away from
them thinking, `I hope you don't, you Orange bigots'... I am the only
Catholic in my section, so I am alone.''
``Resident's meeting in St Mary's Hall tonight (Friday July 3). Rosemary
Nelson said at last the law is on our side. Breandan Mac Cionnaith reminded
everyone that the community had agreed there would be no drink or trouble
towards the police or army. Everyone clapped and cheered. We are a
community united, not a puppet of Sinn Fein, as we are so often portrayed.
We are now surrounded by a ring of steel.''
``Saturday night (July 4) was very tense and the centre was full to
overflowing. People had organised themselves into different groups. Some
were making tea and sandwiches, others putting their names forward to
steward the area. Mobile phones and walkie-talkies had been obtained and
were being carried by people, so as to relay messages from Obins Street and
different parts of the Garvaghy Road. Nothing was left to chance. We
wouldn't be caught out like `97.''
Sunday morning (July 5), ``we stood, residents, international observers,
nationalists from North and South, together, behind rolls of barbed wire,
while dark suited, sash wearing men walked past us by the thousand. It all
brought back unhappy memories of July 1997. I connect Orangemen with pain,
blood, anger, frustration and a feeling of hopelessness. I hoped and prayed
that they would hand in a letter of protest and go home. But watching their
followers shouting abuse. I knew it wouldn't happen.''
``The Orange Order went to church. I watched them from my bedroom window and
prayed that they would walk home again the same way. But I don't hold out
much hope. The Orangemen came from their service, walked up to the police,
were refused entrance and the stand off begins. We are under siege....The
field behind our house is unprotected...I have just stood in my back garden
as a huge crowd of Orangemen and their supporters have gone up to join
those already at Drumcree. It is dark, but I have all the house lights out.
I'm terrified, if they make a break for it they will be right in my back
garden. I am alone with the boys...I can't take much more of this. I can't
sleep, can't eat, I feel like I am going to have a nervous breakdown.''
``It was decided that the phones had to be `manned' day and night, so my
turn came on Monday (July 6) midnight to 7am ...At 6.45am a man entered the
office to report that the Project Children group, due to fly to America
that day couldn't get to their minibus as Orangemen had decided to block
the road...Gerald Cusack got three children into his car and an
international observer and two other men did likewise.....we drove at speed
through the Orangemen whom the police were gently pushing back. The
children in the car never uttered a word. Through all the ups and downs I
experienced during the days of Drumcree, one memory will stick with me of a
wee girl being sick out an open window, crying, looking to go home as we
sped down the motor way on the start of what should have been a holiday of
a lifetime.''
``Tonight (July 9) 15,000 Orangemen and their supporters have gathered at
Drumcree. Are the police mad to let this number gather? They are now firing
blast bombs and petrol bombs, and ball bearings from high powered catapults
at the police. The huge bangs and flashes are fireworks. I can hear them
and see them light up the sky. The police have started to fire baton rounds
at them. The back of my house is still unprotected. I'm terrified. The boys
and I sit in the dark, afraid to turn on the lights in case we bring
attention to the house.. God forgive me, but if they come with petrol bombs
to burn my house or hurt my kids, I'll shoot them.''
``The Orange Order have applied for a new march tomorrow (Saturday July 11)
which comes from Drumcree church, down the Garvaghy Road. The Parades
Commission are staying up all night to decide if they will allow this
march. I don't understand why they are even going to consider this new
application. It's the same march. The Orange haven't given 28 days notice
and they are still sitting up there at Drumcree breaking the law. The area
is very fearful.. Have we suffered six days of hell for nothing?.. I hate
them. I hate them. I hate them for making me hide in my home in the dark,
too afraid to turn the lights on. I hate them for making my children hide
in the dark. I hate them for calling us monsters and not human beings. I
hate them for making me hate them.''
``I wake up to the terrible news, that three wee boys, Jason, Mark and
Richard Quinn, aged 10, 9 and 7, all brothers, have been burned to death in
their homes in Ballymoney. The police have said it was a `purely sectarian
attack'. Madmen have come in the middle of the night and with their hearts
filled with hate and their eyes blinded by evil, they threw a petrol bomb
and murdered three innocent children...I can't get those children out of my
mind. My son Andrew is sitting clutching his Barney Bear. He has packed his
toy computer into his bag and has left it beside the front door. I haven't
let him know about those wee boys. I ask him why? he said if the Orangemen
come mummy, I have Barney and I will run away. He is only ten. One of those
wee boys was ten. I go into the bathroom, sit in the corner and cry quietly
so he can't hear me.''
``Garvaghy: A community under siege'' is published by Beyond the Pale at
£8.99.
![[An Phoblacht]](http://republican-news.org/graphics/title_gifs/aprn.gif)