Tag: Short Strand

Oglach Micheal Kane Fuair se bas ar Son na Saoirse na hEireann – The First IRA man to be killed on Active Service R.I.P

Oglach Michael Kane – Fuair se bas at son Na Saoirse Na hEireann

The Irish Brigade

First IRA Man to be killed on active service

Full article By Paul Ainsworth

Andersonstown News 7 September 2010

IRA Volunteer Michael was killed in Newforge Lane in South Belfast, while his comrade Tony O’Kane was seriously injured, and was only discovered after the RUC followed a trail of his blood to a nearby house.

Following his untimely death, Michael’s funeral left the family home in Westrock, Ballymurphy, and he was buried in the Republican Plot in Milltown Cemetery.

However, the Remembering Our Volunteers Committee are hoping that, despite the passage of time, Michael has remained more than just a name on a roll of honour, or a statistic in Ireland’s bloody history, but rather remembered as a local man who cared deeply about his family and community.

A French polisher by trade, Michael ran a business in the Short Strand area of East Belfast, where he was thrust into one of the defining moments of the recent troubles.

As Remembering Our Volunteers Committee Member Marty O’Hara explained, Michael fought in the ‘Battle of St Matthews’ in the Short Strand just months before he lost his life.

“When the area came under attack from loyalists, Michael was ready to defend the residents. This reflects his own grandfather Jack Coogan’s role in defending areas during the pogroms of the 1920s,” he said.

With republicanism in his blood, Michael went on to play an active role in the transformation of the Provisional IRA’s campaign to offensive from defensive. However, behind his military role lay the quintessential “ordinary man” of Belfast, who enjoyed his family, friends, music, and having a bit of craic.

“He was a father of three sons and three daughters,” continued Marty.

“And although he loved socialising, he was a teetotaller. Meanwhile, he was a keen musician, playing the guitar, and enjoyed songs ranging from ‘Only Our Rivers Run Free’, to Tom Jones’ ‘The Green Green Grass of Home’.

Oglach Micheal Kane fuair se bas ar son na saoirse na hEireann

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Order to hand out leaflets at protest parade urging peace

TO ALL OUR SUPPORTERS

from the

3 Ligional Lodges, Bands & Local residents

Today is a Parade to show we have not and will not go away.

The Parade will stop on the Woodvale Road at Woodvale Parade.

It is requested that all supporters stop at the line of Orange Marshalls.

After a period the National Anthem will be played and we will all disperse.

No matter what the provocation, violence is not the answer.

Any violence will play into the hands of Republicans.

Thankyou for  coming today and joining the campaign to see the Lodges return home and this Parades Commission removed. We look forward to your ongoing support over the coming months as the campaign unfolds.

UNITED WE STAND – DEVIDED WE FALL

Above is a copy of the wording being distributed at the Woodvale Road parade in North Belfast.

Body criticised over march amid tensions

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THE Orange Order will hand out leaflets to supporters attending a parade at Woodvale today calling on them not to engage in violence. The leaflet also states that plans to step up the Belfast protests will “unfold over the coming months.”

There is expected to be a heavy police presence in north Belfast for the protest parade that will walk from the Shankill Road to police lines at the Woodvale Road and Woodvale Parade. There are 600 ‘mutual aid ‘ officers from outside constabularies still  in the North of Ireland assisting the PSNI/RUC. Serious violence occoured at the flashpoint on July 12 after three Ligional Lodges were banned from the Crumlin Road, the violence spread to other areas and continued for four days. On Tuesday the OrangeO Order was widely criticised for applying for another parade along the Crumlin Road and past Ardoyne with tensions still high in the area. The Parades Commission refused the order permission to pass Ardoyne. Instead the group, involving 500 participants, three bands and an undisclosed number of supporters, will be stopped at police lines at Woodvale Parade.

The Orange Order have said they will have their own marshals working to keep peace during the parade and have asked supporters to leave peacefully immediately following the singing of the British national anthem. The Parades Commission have ruled that the parade must disperse by no later than 4.30pm. Nationalist residents group the Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC), have cancelled a planned protest in response to the Parades Commission determination. Senior officer Will Kerr met loyalist representives at police headquarters in east Belfast yesterday to discuss the planned protest. Concerns were also raised about the policing of a parade in east Belfast on July 12 in which a number of those taking part in the march were injured. A police spokesman said that during the meeting officers confirmed that a “significant number of missiles, including stones and paint bombs, had been thrown at the parade” from the nationalist Short Strand area. “Similarly, missiles were also thrown into the Short Strand area. “The PSNI expressed concern for those who had been injured as a result of those missiles and outlined that a full investigation has now commenced. “In relation to further Parades and associated protests the PSNI again emphasise the need for behaviour to be both peaceful and lawful and highlight the fact that attacks on Police Officers are wholly unacceptable and unjustifiable,” a spokesman said.

With many thanks to : Allison Morris, The Irish News.

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LOYALISTS ATTACK POLICE AND NATIONALIST HOMES

Petrol bombs and blast bombs thrown

LOYALISTS threw blast bombs and petrol bombs at police and attacked nationalist homes in east Belfast during a fourth night of rioting.

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Masked loyalist hurls Blast-Bomb at police lines on the Woodvale Road area of North Belfast.

Despite appeals for calm from police and politicians a pipe bomb was thrown at officers in north Belfast and loyalist rioters attacked police in south Belfast last night. Police fired at least one baton round and used water connon on rioters on lower Newtownards Road in the east of the city after attacks on homes in the nationalist Short Strand area. Masked men threw four blast bombs from the loyalist Pitt Park area at police on lower Newtownards Road. Noone was injured. Up to 50 rioters threw stones stones and other missiles at police in the Glenmachan Street and Broadway areas of South Belfast. In North Belfast hundreds of loyalists, many wearing Orange regalia, blocked Twaddell Avenue for several hours and up to three bands walked up the road playing The Sash. Loyalists threw petrol bombs and missiles at police near the Mount Vernon estate and a vehicle was set alight. Loyalist protesters blocked roads in the Corcrain area of Portadown, Co Armagh, including a junction with the nationalist Garvaghy Road.

In Derry officers seized 20 paint bombs during a whiteline protest by loyalists on the main Glendermott and Limavady Roads. Paint was thrown at two Protestant churches in Derry erarlier yesterday, an attack condemned by Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness. Early yesterday evening police narrowly escaped serious injury after a pipe bomb expolded close to officers in north Belfast. The device was thrown from the nationalist Brompton Park area of Ardoyne at police on Crumlin Road at about 5pm yesterday. Noone was injured in the attack, which was swiftly condemned by nationalist and unionist politicians. A seven-year-old was on the street at the time of the attack, Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly said. Superintendent Emma Bond said the bomb could have badly injured officers. “We consider ourselves extremely fortunate that we are not dealing with a much more serious incident and that all the officers were able to walk away from the situation unharmed,” she said. Loyalists held demonstrations across Belfast and other towns last night in protest at the Parades Commission’s decision to block Orangemen and bands from parading past Ardoyne shops on the evening of the Twelfth. Protests were held on Shankill Road in West Belfast, Sandy Row and Castlereagh Street in east Belfast as well as in Dondonald and Antrim.

With many thanks to : Claire Simpson and Connia Young, The Irish News.

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FLAMES OF HATE !!! – WHAT A WEEKEND OF VIOLENCE MEANS !

  • 40 POLICE OFFICERS INJURED
  • 35 PEOPLE, ONE JUST 10, ARRESTED
  •  UNION FLAG PROTESTS RESUME
  • SPECIAL COURTS SIT ON SUNDAY

  • THE TWELFTH

It struck me as bands approached the Garden of Remembrance how reverently they stopped their music and removed their hats as a mark of respect. I wonder why they don’t do this when passing all places of worship – Tom Kelly.

This wasn’t the usual disaffected youth but men old enough to know better, attacking police lines with everything they could lay their hands on and cheering as officers went down injured – Allison Morris.

REPUBLICANS GET INTERNED FOR HOLDING A POSTER BUT LOYALISTS ARE ONLY EXPRESSING THEIR LEGAL RIGHTS TO ' PEACFUL PROTESTS ' THANKYOU MATT BAGGOTT FOR IMPARTAIL POLICING "WE ALL LOVE THE IMPARTIAL POLICING OF THE RUC/PSNI

Third night of violence

‘It’s important that cool heads prevail – Peter Robinson.

A CAR was hijacked and set alight, roads blocked and a police officer was injured during a third night of loyalist violence. Loyalists threw petrol bombs and other missiles at police in the Woodvale area of North Belfast shortly before 11pm yesterday.

One officer was injured. Police fired two baton rounds. Earlier the disorder spread to Newtownabby, Co An trim, where a car was set alight, blocking the main O’Neill Road. Youths gathered near the road and began throwing stones and other missiles. There were unconfirmed reports of a second car being torched. Five men and boys, aged between 15 and 25, were arrested on suspicion of riotous behaviour. Large crowds blocked Albertbridge Road in east Belfast late on Sunday night, close to the interface with nationalist Short Strand where violence broke out on Friday and Saturday evenings. There were also reports that loyalists had blocked roads in Antrim, the Mount Vernon area of Newtownabbey and the Square in Ballyclare. Members of the Orange Order have ccontinued to take part in street protests in north Belfast despite the Grand Orange Lodge of Belfast having called a halt to all action following the weekend’s rioting. The order released a statement at 1am on Saturday after six hours of sustained violence in north and east Belfast, saying it was “suspending” all further action.”In support of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland appeal for calm, the Ligional lodges with the full support of the County Grand Orange Lodge in Belfast have decided to suspend their protest in relation to the determination for the Crumlin Road,” a spokesman said. About 50 people including members of the order wearing collarettes and holding banners aloft gathered at Twaddell Avenue on Sunday, ignoring the Grand Lodge’s call.

THEY TOOK OUR FLEG!!!

During the protest community representives were at the nationalist interface to prevent sectarian clashes. Police continued to maintain a large-scale security presence at Woodvale Road where loyalists have clashed with police for the past three nights. A small loyalist protest took place at 3pm on the Crumlin Road. Six people draped in the union flags stood in the middle of the road watched by police in Land Rovers parked nearby. No spokesman for the order was available for comment on Sunday. Sunday night’s violence and roadblocks came after First Minister Peter Robinson called for an end to rioting following the annual Twelfth demonstrations. He said protesters needed to follow the Orange Order’s call for the suspension of demonstrations over restrictions on a parade past the Ardoyne shops flashpoint in north Belfast. “It’s very important that cool heads prevail in these circumstances and I hope people will obey the announcement and statement by the Orange institution that people should desist from violence,” he said. “The only kind of protest that is ever justifiable is a lawful and peaceful protest.” Mr Robinson’s comments come after he Tweeted on the evening of the Twelfth claiming that nationalists from Short Strand had attacked an Orange Order parade on lower Newtownards Road.

With many thanks to : Claire Simpson and Allison Morris, The Irish News.

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British PSNI/MI5 STICH-UP RELEASE CHRISTINE CONNOR

Smash Internment

Daibhead Macgowan

After speaking with Christine recently in Hydebank Gaol there are a number of outstanding issues arising from the charges and allegations brought against her. The RUC/PSNI claim to have received intelligence on Christine in relation to her alleged involvement in an incident on the M5 where a device partially exploded; a gun find in the Short Strand, East Belfast and the attack on the RUC/PSNI in Foxes Glen. It also has to be said that the grounds for Christine’s initial arrest for the alleged attempted murder of two RUC/PSNI officers on the Crumlin Road was also intelligence based.

Further to this, during interviews in Antrim, detectives presented their surveillance evidence, including an audio recording, the transcript of which was read out to Christine and her solicitor. Police allege that in this recording the female is Christine Connor and claim that she is discussing the transportation of explosives and the planning of attacks on security personnel in Ireland and England. It has to be asked where and when it had been recorded and as to why it had been recorded. There is no visual, merely an audio and the RUC/PSNI claim to be unable to identify the others present but have bizarrely been able to determine that the female is Christine, without a voice analysis expert and further to this interpreted the conversation as a “terrorist meeting”.

Christine has been informed that the Preparation of Terrorist Acts charges is in relation to incidents on the 15th, 16th and the 28th of May 2013. On the 15th Of May, RUC/PSNI state that there was an aborted operation planned against New Barnsley police station in West Belfast. In the early hours of the 16th of May the RUC/PSNI allege to have received multiple 999 calls from residents in the Ligoneil area of North Belfast, who reported hearing two gun shots and three explosions. On the 28th of May an attack on the RUC/PSNI took place on the Crumlin road in North Belfast which pipe bombs had landed just yards from two RUC/PSNI personnel.

There is no doubting to those that know Christine that as an activist she was very determined and vocal, attributes that subsequently brought her on the radar of the British intelligence services. It has also came to light that there is an investigation under way by the Police Ombudsman as to the way in which Christine was treated in Antrim whilst in Police Custody. Christine has at all times refused to engage with her interrogators and has continued to maintain a dignified silence. She intends to beat these malicious charges .

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THIRD NIGHT OF ATTACKS ON SHORT STRAND HOMES

HOMES in the Short Strand area of east Belfast have come under attack with petrol bombs for a third night in a row.

Short Strand need your support

Tensions have been high at the interface between the nationalist Short Strand and loyalist Clean Place area. On Monday night missiles and petrol bombs were again thrown over the peace wall and onto Bryson Street. No-one was injured in the attack. A similar attack at the weekend resulted in a four-year-old girl narrowly escaping injury when a petrol bomb landed in the garden she was playing in. Sinn Fein councillor Niall O Donnghaile said people in the area are angry that to date “not a single arrest has been made”. “After three months of failing this ccommunity during the flag protests, the PSNI must be seen to act to deal with those hell bent on attacking family homes,” he said.

“All residents living across both sides of the interface have to be able to live in peace in their own homes. “Once again I am calling on the political leadership of unionism and loyalism to state clearly that these attacks must stop immediately.” Alliance Party councillor Maire Hendron said it was “unsettling that some still felt the need to resort to these violent measures, rather that engaging across the community to find a lasting peacefulsolution”. “We cannot allow those opposed to a shared future and a better Northern Ireland to dictate how we live within our communities,” she said. “It is incidents like these that deflect attention away from the good community work across the area.”

With many thanks to : Allison Morris, Irish News.

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NATIONALIST RESIDENTS JOIN FORCES TO OPPOSE SECTARIAN MARCHES

‘We want to give a voice back to the people on the ground’ says Casp spokes man.

NATIONALIST residents from areas across the North of Ireland with contentious Orange Order parades have joined forces to form an umbrella group to oppose sectarian loyalist marches. Communities Against Sectarian Parades (CASP) iinvolves people from the Short Strand in East Belfast, Springfield Road in West Belfast and the North Belfast flashpoint Ardoyne.

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There is also representation from rural areas such as Rasharkin in Co Antrim and Newtownbutler in Co Fermanagh. The group said it had support from an alternative Carrick Hill residents group set up in recent weeks to oppose marches past St Patrick’s Church in Donegal Street, although there was no-one from the area present at the meeting held in the Ardoyne community centre. Its membership is made of groups who have formed in areas where there were already residents associations. It argues that the exsisting groups have been rendered “ineffective due to political interferance”. “They are controlled by a political party and we want to give a voice back to the people on the ground,” spokesman Sean Hanna from the Rasharkin Residents Collective said. Mr Hanna said the decisions on whether to meet with the police or hold talks with the Orange Order or Parades Commission would remain up to the individual groups.

He said the strength of the collective was its unified supportive role. “Our coalition will aim to highlight and confront the denial of our human rights to live free from sectarian harassment that is associated with sectarian marches,” he said. “We beleive in a holistic approach to confront these marches. Mr Hanna would not say if the collective has planned any joint protests in the run-up to the Twelfth saying that was “yet to be decided”. While Casp was announcing its formation to a panel of journalists, a meeting was taking place in a separate room of the community centre involving Galway Fianna Fail TD Eamon O’Cuiv, residents and members of the Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective. Aidan Ferguson was one of the people who meet with the justice committee member. He said that they discussed a number of issues connected to loyalist parades which pass the nationalst interface. “It was a very positive meeting and we will be formally inviting him to act as an independant observer during the July marches,” Mr Ferguson said. The Irish News contacted Mr O’Cuiv’s office about the meeting but did not receive a response.

Collective attempt to usurp Sinn Fein.

THE formation of a new umbrella group to oppose loyalist parades may on the surface seem fairly run-of-the-mill but it could have political ramifications. Communities Against Sectarian Parades (CASP) involves residents who have broken away from existing groups – groups that contain members or supporters of Sinn Fein. The party has traditionally acted as the voice of communites dirctly impacted by loyalist marches. This new collective is an attempt to usurp Sinn Fein.

The residents groups in the collective involve a range of people, including republicans who would be considered dissident and actively opposed to Sinn Fein’s political strategy. Until now these grops have done little to upset the status quo, with numbers small and protests haphazard. However, an organised collective brings with it strength in numbers and some members who advocate a more hardline approach to opposing parades, Casp could have a destablising influnance. With tensions already high this marching season following a winter of loyalist violence and unrest linked to the Union Flag dispute at Belfast City Hall, Casp’s impact will bear close observation in the coming weeks.

With many thanks to : Allison Morris, Irish News.

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GIRL (4) INJURED AS PETROL BOMB EXPLODES BESIDE HER !

 Loyalists lob device over peace wall as Cameron tells the world the North of Ireland is a changed place.

AS DAVID Cameron told the world on Tuesday that the North of Ireland was a transformed place, lloyalists almost set fire to a four-year-old child in East Belfast. A lit device lobbed over a sectarian interface exploded where the little girl was playing with her friend.

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The child sustained minor burns in the blast on Bryson Street just before 4pm. The attack came as the British prime minister told an international press conference that the world had seen a new North of Ireland “that is bringing down the peace walls which have separated its people for so long”. A day earlier at the Waterfrount Hall – just a mile away from the attack – US president Barack Obama declared that other divgrateful ncieties the North is the “blueprint to follow” and “they are watching to see what you do next”. James Callaghan’s (pictured above) grandaughter was playing with the girl  who was injured in the petrol-bomb attack outside his house. He ran out to drag the two girls inside. On Tuesday night he said : “We’ve been very, very lucky.” Sinn Fein councillor Niall O Donnghaile said one of the gils was treated at the scene for minor burn injuires. “People round east Belfast, no matter what side they’re on, do not deserve another few months of this,” he said. “They deserve some peace.” On Tuesday night loyalist and nationalist groups gathered in the interface area in the latest of a number of confrontations. The G8 leaders ended their two-day conference at Lough Erne on Tuesday. Despite the massive security operation fears of violence proved unfounded with just two arrested.

 One suffers burns after device thrown over peace wall.

On Tuesday night the scorch damage could be clearly seen within a yard of where children were standing on Bryson Street. The bomb was thrown over the Short Strand/Cluan Place peace wall in east Belfast into the built-up nationalist area at around 3.55pm on Tuesday. James Callaghan described how he ran out from his house to drag his hysterical grandaughter Tierna Benson and her friend Brooke inside. “I heard two glass bottles breaking outside and then I heard something else that I knew wasn’t a bottle and saw a flash and ran outside,” he said. “The girls were standing by the grate. I just grabbed the two girls and pulled them inside. The wee girl Brooke was crying hysterically. They were both in a bad way. “They were so upset I couldn’t even see if either of them had been hurt. “We’re just gratful nothing happened to them. We’ve been very, very lucky.” Sinn Fein councillor Niall O Donnghaile said Brooke, who had been visting her grandparents on the street, suffered minor burn injuries. “Police officers gave her first aid at the scene,” he said. Police said on Tusday night tensions are high in the area – often a ‘bellwether interface’ for marching season violence. “Tensions in the area are high following an incident that took place on Sunday June 16 where a petrol bomb was thrown from the Short Strand into Cluan Place,” a police spokesman said. “A 15-year-old male was subsequently arrested for arson. “Police have also received reports of stones being thrown between different areas.” “A number of young people gathered at the interface on Tuesday night and police would ask parents to ensure that they know the whereabouts of their children to ensure that they do not get drawn into any violence or antisocal behaviour at interfaces.” CCTV was being checked on Tuesday night to try and try and identify the person who threw the dangerous device.

Mr Callaghan, who has lived beside the peacewall for 13 years, said there have been crowds “gathering” in nearby loyalist Montpottinger. “It only really happened in the summer months. It’s just ‘eejits’ and animals that’s doing it.” He said his grandaughter is now too frightened to play in the back garden and immediately wanted to go back to her own home. “She’s really shaken up. She’s going to have nightmares. Both the girls are always good. We tell them to stay on the side of the street because of the cars but now they’re to scared to be outside at all.” Mr O Donnghaile said people in the area have suffered enough during the recent “three months of problems around flags,” he said.

With many thanks to : Bimpe Archer, Irish News.

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RESIDENTS MAY DEFY PARADES BODY AND PROTEST

” Why parishioners not allowed to stand outside their own church when the leadership of the UVF can stand outside it ” ? – Frank Dempsey.

NORTH Belfast nationalists will tonight decide wwhether to defy a ban on holding a protest outside a Catholic Church during a controversial Apprentice Boys parade. People living in Carrick Hill reacted angrily after the Parades Commission restricted the location of proposed protests as marchers pass the flashpoint St Patrick‘s Church and nearby nationalist homes on Easter Monday.

NO SASH NO CLASH.


Protests at a car park opposite the city centre church and at Clifton Street are limited to 30 people. A request to sstand directly outside St Patrick’s – the parish church of many of the protesters – was turned down. The commission was criticised last week for permitting Apprentice Boys to take one band and 60 members along the disputed route. Although bandsmen will be allowed to play loyalist tunes while passing Carrick Hill they will be restricted to a single drum beat when passing St Patrick’s on Donegall Street, the scene of violence surrounding parades last summer. Residents spokesman Frank Dempsey last night said his community might decide to ignore the commission both on where protets are held and the numbers taking part. Referring to previous parades pasr St Patrick’s, he asked : ” Why are parishioners not allowed to stand outside their own church when the leadership of the UVF can stand outside it ?'”

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Mr Dempsey said that before coming to a decision people in the area will consider comments Cheif ConstableM Matt Baggott made during the Union Flag protests. He said ” People are asking Do we really have to go near the Parades Commission given what Matt Baggott said in January that anyone is entitled to a peaceful protest ?” ” Resident groups are abiding by determinations and the Loyal Orders don’t even consult witb the Parades Commission and then break their determinations. ” Then they are rewarded in places like Carrick Hill, Ardoyne and Short Strand.” The commission has also been criticised for allowing the Apprentice Boys to march past Ardoyne interface despite having turned down an offer to meet residents.

SDLP councillor Nichola Mallon said an ” apparent lack of consistency ” in the commission’s decisions was a sourse of frusration. It needed to explain its reasoning better, she said. ” Residents in Carrick Hill are asking me why, when the commission deemed the route past St Patrick’s controversial and reflected this in its determination on the parade, are they not allowed to peacefully protest at this spot outside the church ?” She said. Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly said : ” Wwithout  dialogue from the loyal orders, with either the residents or the Parades Commission , parades should not get the go-ahead.” The commission declined to comment. Police said : ” The PSNI does not discuss operational procedures ahead of any event. However, any event will be monitored and all appropriate advice given and action taken where necessary. ” All parades and protests are policed appropriately and in accordance with Parades Commission determination.”

With many thanks to : Connia Young, Irish News.

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RUC/PSNI SILENCE OVER FILM SET NIGHTMARE ( DOUBLE STANDERDS)

PSNI SILENCE OVER FILM SET NIGHTMARE

jamesturley.jpg A vicious attempt to murder Catholic teenagers last Friday was covered up by the North’s police for over three days before details finally emerged.

Eighteen-year-old James Turley was left for dead after a mob of loyalists descended on a group of teenagers working as extras on a film set in the Village area of south Belfast.

Turley, a trainee chef from the nationalist Short Strand area, was assaulted, beaten unconscious, dumped in a wheelie bin and left for dead.

Despite running into a house for help he was again beaten by the mob. He played dead to escape after hearing one of his attackers say: “That’s enough. I think he’s dead.”

Four other teenagers were also attacked. The friends, who were extras on the set, had just filmed a scene when a mob gathered and began making sectarian remarks.

“When we were packing up to go, that’s when they started getting closer,” Mr Turley said. “They just surrounded us.”

He said some of his friends attempted to flee in a car but the mob smashed the windows with their fists, forcing him and two other friends to run.

“I ran into a house,” he said. “I said: ‘Please help me. They’re going to kill me’.”

The man went out to the door as if he was going to help me. But as he tried to escape through the house he heard one of the gang shouting: ‘There’s a Taig [Catholic] in there.’

“They all just came in and started beating me,” he said. “They stamped on my head and everywhere. The woman [the householder] said: ‘Get him out of my garden’ and they dragged me out into the alley.

“They just started beating me again. They put me into a bin and were pushing me somewhere. I didn’t know where I was going.

“I think they realised they couldn’t beat me when I was in the bin. They kicked or pushed it over and dragged me out of it.”

Mr Turley said at one stage he was knocked out, but “I started to come around and I heard them saying: ‘That’s enough. I think he’s dead’.”

The teenager stumbled away as soon as the gang fled and was picked up by a passing motorist who drove him to the Royal Victoria Hospital.

Mr Turley said he thought he was going to be killed. “When I got put in the bin I thought that was it,” he said.

A friend of Mr Turley’s who was also working as an extra said he had been standing beside the car when the loyalists attacked it.

“They were kicking it and punching it. They were trying to pull people out of the car windows,” he said. “They were punching me saying ‘There’s another Taig there’ and five or six of them ran at me so I ran and I climbed over a wall.

“I was running about the Village (in south Belfast). I didn’t know my way out of the place, “I didn’t know where I was, I was actually fearing for my life to tell you the truth. It was a scary ordeal.”

The PSNI did not publicly release details of the attack for three days, and only confirmed the incident when Mr Turley’s family came forward.

Mr Turley’s mother Donna told journalists that when she received a phone call about the attack she thought that her son had been killed.

“It’s like deja vu,” she said. “My husband was murdered. That’s what it was like. I can’t remember getting from here to the hospital.

“I was just thinking please, please, just let him hang on for me. I really did think he was dead on me. I’m just glad he’s alive.”

It is not the first time the PSNI has been criticised for not releasing information about sectarian attacks.

In March, the PSNI apologised for not making public details of a loyalist riot at Belfast’s Odyssey entertainment complex. The PSNI were further criticised in July when it emerged that they only released information about a sectarian attack on a Catholic football team. Four players from the north Belfast Crumlin Star team were injured in the attack at the hands of a loyalist mob.

The mayor of Belfast, Sinn Fein councillor Niall O Donnghaile said the victims of the latest attack had been left “deeply traumatised”. He claimed that the sectarian gang was “a minority”.

“We will continue to play our part with everyone in our community to ensure those people are faced down,” he said.

SDLP leader Alasdair McDonnell condemned the “vicious and brutal” attack, while Alliance councillor Maire Hendron described the attack as “horrific”.

Susan Picken, a producer with Manifesto Films which is making ‘The Good Man’, said the firm would continue to liaise with local loyalists to try to prevent further attacks against its Catholic employees.

With Many Thanks to the Irish Republican News.

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