New loyalist threat to Irish language class

Days after a group of loyalist paramilitary figures met the North’s Minister for Education to make sectarian demands for curbs on the Irish language, the threat of paramilitary violence has forced the cancellation of an Irish language event.

A six-month course was due to kick-off with an enrolment session in a council hall in the coastal east Derry village of Castlerock and a beginners’ Irish conversation class.

The event was cancelled because the organisers and the local council were made aware of threats believed to have come from loyalist paramilitaries.

The threats came after the Loyalist Community Council, an umbrella group which ‘represents the views’ of loyalist paramilitary groups, including the UVF and UDA, held a sinister meeting with DUP Minister Paul Givan.

The delegation included double sectarian murderer Bobby Rodgers, convicted of killing two Catholic teenagers in separate murders; the man widely regarded as the leader of the UDA in south Belfast, Jackie McDonald; and prominent loyalist Winston ‘Winkie’ Irvine, who is currently before the courts on arms charges, but it is understood he failed to turn up.

They met with Givan last Tuesday to urge him to halt the Irish language, particularly plans for an Irish language school in east Belfast. The LCC later described the meeting as “extremely constructive”.

Conradh na Gaeilge, the Irish language cultural organisation, pointed out they had requested a meeting with the unionist Minister in February of this year, which was declined without explanation.

It said the decision to meet with the LCC after turning down the Irish language group was “outrageous”.

Sinn Fein MP John Finucane described the meeting as “deeply concerning”.

“The Irish language is thriving across our society and record numbers of our children and young people are being educated through the medium of Irish with more and more demand on our local Gaelscoilanna,” he said.

“It’s outrageous that a group which includes representatives of loyalist gangs are attempting to influence decisions about our children’s future and right to be educated through the language of their choice.”

Dr Pádraig Ó Tiarnaigh, from Irish language network An Dream Dearg, expressed concern at the latest threats.

“It’s a fundamental right in a democratic society for people to go about their daily lives free from intimidation and discrimination,” he said.

“This is a sectarian hate crime. There is a very sinister and concerning pattern emerging here with this being the latest in a series of threats from loyalist paramilitaries.”

Mr Ó Tiarnaigh said that unionist politicians “must strongly and unambiguously condemn these actions and ensure that all citizens feel safe and welcome to actively engage with community activities”.

Urgent Appeal