Gaelic fans attacked

Fans returning from Sunday’s Gaelic football semi-final between Derry and Kerry were attacked at Newbuildings on the outskirts Derry, on Sunday night.

The window of a car carrying supporters was broken. No-one was injured in the incident.

The incident was the second time in two weeks that sectarian attacks have been carried out on Gaelic fans at Newbuildings.

One of the victims of the latest assault said they had attempted to get through Newbuildings as quickly as possible.

The man, who did not wish to be named, said he had been in the back seat of a car being driven by his son and as they approached Newbulidings he told his son to time his drive through the village so that he would not have to stop at red lights.

“When the lights changed (to green) we were driving through when a young boy came out and threw a brick at the car,” he said.

Meanwhile, a 400 pound grant to buy new hurling sticks for a Gaaelic club has been frozen by Ballymena Council.

In May, unionist councillors in Ballymena asked for the money not to be paid out until they heard the Equality Commission’s views on the GAA rules, which the party claimed were “anti-British”.

Sinn Féin North Antrim representative Philip McGuigan slammed the move as ‘grossly offensive’ and ‘irresponsible’.

“Once again Ballymena’s DUP councillors seem to have lost the run of themselves. Their comments about the GAA are inaccurate, ill informed, and offensive to a large section of the community.

“We have seen in the past how comments like this have left the door open to assassinations on GAA personnel and attacks on GAA property.”

Urgent Appeal