Irish Republican News · May 9, 2005

Mob attack kids’ bus

A junior soccer team have pulled out of their football league after a sectarian mob attacked their minibus in County Antrim.

Members of the team from Carnlough were leaving after a match with Ballykeel, in Ballymena, on Saturday when their minibus was stoned by up to 30 unionist hardliners.

A window on the bus was broken and four of the boys were treated for cuts and bruises.

Martin McKinley, who was driving the bus, said the children were shocked.

“They were screaming, ‘Drive off, drive off, quickly!’ and I couldn’t get on to the main road because there were cars coming.

“I am sure a lot of passing cars saw what happened. I saw by their faces they were shocked too. But, thankfully, nobody was seriously hurt.”

He said the club had decided to pull out of the league because of the attack.

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