GAA targeted as loyalist threat mounts

A rocket was fired at a GAA club in County Tyrone in an escalating loyalist campaign against the Gaelic sports association.

A garage door was damaged after the incident at Killyman St Mary’s clubhouse near Dungannon on Wednesday night.

People living close to the club, which is situated on the Drumaspil Road, had reported a loud explosion shortly before midnight.

It is understood the device partially exploded close to a gas tank.

The incident came after a bomb warning led to searches of GAA halls across the county earlier in the day.

A group calling itself the Mid-Ulster Volunteer Force said it was behind the attack.

Killyman chairman Colm McVeigh said the device had partially exploded, piercing a hole in the steel garage door.

“The device landed near a gas tank and if it had gone fully off the consequences could have been devastating,” he said.

Sinn Fein MLA Francie Molloy claimed there was an orchestrated sectarian campaign against GAA clubs in the area.

“In recent days there have been a number of attacks on GAA clubs in this area. I have been told that last nights attack involved the firing of some sort of rocket device at the clubhouse. This clearly was well planned and well organised.

“It seems fairly clear that there is an orchestrated sectarian campaign underway against GAA clubs. The GAA have warned all the clubs to be on alert. We now need to hear on one hand what the PSNI are doing to stop this escalating further and also from the DUP, UUP and TUV what they are doing to prevent these attacks.

“It is all too common for unionist politicians, including the current DCAL [Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure] Minister, to engage in sectarian attacks on the GAA and its ethos over the airwaves. They cannot divorce their remarks from these attacks.

“I would urge everyone to be vigilant in the time ahead as it seems there are those who are intent on seeking to heighten community tensions through these sorts of attacks. And just like those who would attack churches or Orange Halls there needs to be a clear message sent out that this behaviour is unacceptable.”

Urgent Appeal