Woman dies in hospital as her home is attacked
Loyalist mobs target homes and schools
By Mick Naughton
In the early hours of Sunday morning 8 June loyalists attacked
the home of a Larne Catholic family with breeze blocks and other
missiles. While the attack was being carried out a member of the
family, Roseanne Rodgers, died in hospital.
Roseanne Rogers had been receiving medical treatment over the
past few months and her son, who was in the house when the
loyalists attacked, suffered cuts and bruises and was forced to
flee the Linn Road home.
Sinn Féin's East Antrim constituency representative Chrissie
McAuley said that it was clearly another sectarian attack aimed
at driving out the small Catholic population from the mainly
loyalist coastal town:
``The Ulster Unionist MP for Larne Roy Beggs has been conspicuous
by his silence after the news of the attack as Roseanne Rodgers
lay dying in hospital.
``Two years ago this same MP was blocking roads protesting about
Drumcree and the rights of the Orange Order. Where was his
concern over the death of Mrs Rodgers and the injuries to her
son?''
At the time of the Larne attack another loyalist gang was homing
in on the Limestone Road area of North Belfast. Using iron bars
they smashed the front windows of Catherine Ramsey's home. She is
a mother of four living at the interface area of Parkend Street,
just off the Limestone Road.
But for the quick thinking of her partner Patrick McGuinness who
pulled down drop bars, the gang could have gained entry to their
home. Ramsey said this was the latest in a series of attacks
emanating from the nearby loyalist Tigers Bay area.
``I was so afraid. The last attack happened six weeks ago, when
eight families were put out in one night, but I thought it was
OK. Your first instinct is to run and hide, but Patrick went to
the door and pulled the drop bars across to stop them getting
into the house.''
McGuinness is awaiting a liver transplant at Kings College London
and is worried that the loyalists will return while he is away
from home receiving urgent medical tests. He had only returned
from London prior to Saturday's attack.
Last weekend's attack was the seventh on this Catholic home since
last December, attacks which have left the young children
terrified. In a previous attack Ramsey's young daughter Chloe had
her bedroom window smashed by thugs using bottles and bricks.
Recently local Sinn Fein Councillor Bobby Lavery brought Northern
Ireland Office Civil Representative Colin Dunlop around the area
explaining the nature of the loyalist attacks which look set to
increase as Drumcree Mark 3 looms. Lavery told An Phoblacht:
``I explained the problems and introduced him to the residents but
nothing was suggested by him, despite the fact that he controls a
budget and has authority to move immediately on a problem arising
out of what the British government term `civil unrest'.
``There have been countless attacks on the Limestone itself, but
also Parkend Street, Parkside Gardens and Newington. Sinn Fein is
working closely with the local community to prevent these
attacks.''
Bottles and bricks were also used a mile away as loyalists
indulged in another frenzied attack on a Catholic primary school
on the upper Crumlin Road. Holy Cross girls primary school had 35
windows smashed in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Parents of Catholic schoolchildren have rallied round to escort
their children both to and from school but are unable to do
anything when darkness falls, given the school's location
adjacent to a loyalist area.
Local Sinn Féin Councillor Mick Conlon surveyed the damage on
Monday morning and warned that further similar attacks could
develop at any time, given the geography of the area:
``Last year the nearby girls secondary school had its roof
completely burnt down twice during the summer months. Loyalists
appear free to roam at will along the Crumlin and Ballysillan
Roads despite hundreds of British troops being deployed in North
Belfast. While Ardoyne is swamped with them, loyalists are
gleefully wrecking childrens schools. I would call upon recently
elected loyalist representatives to address this problem if they
are serious about their recent remarks deploring anti-Catholic
attacks.''
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