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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| GAA clubhouse blaze 'deliberate' | GAA clubhouse blaze 'deliberate' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Police suspect arsonists were behind a fire which destroyed a GAA clubhouse in County Down, causing damage put at more than £100,000. | Police suspect arsonists were behind a fire which destroyed a GAA clubhouse in County Down, causing damage put at more than £100,000. |
| Firefighters were called to St John's clubhouse at Drumnaquoile, near Castlewellan, at about 0700 BST. | Firefighters were called to St John's clubhouse at Drumnaquoile, near Castlewellan, at about 0700 BST. |
| Last week, a nearby Orange hall was daubed with sectarian graffiti, and some believe this was a revenge attack. | Last week, a nearby Orange hall was daubed with sectarian graffiti, and some believe this was a revenge attack. |
| Police said they could not confirm a sectarian motive at this stage. It is not yet known what started the fire. | Police said they could not confirm a sectarian motive at this stage. It is not yet known what started the fire. |
| The club says the hall was also used as a community centre, and the fire means a programme for people with special needs will be cancelled. | The club says the hall was also used as a community centre, and the fire means a programme for people with special needs will be cancelled. |
| Special needs co-ordinator Seamus Braniff said: "It's just an utter disgrace and they will be absolutely devastated when we tell them." | Special needs co-ordinator Seamus Braniff said: "It's just an utter disgrace and they will be absolutely devastated when we tell them." |
| Jackie McMullan from the club said "hundreds of thousands of pounds worth" of damage had been caused. | Jackie McMullan from the club said "hundreds of thousands of pounds worth" of damage had been caused. |
| She said the fire had also destroyed many items of sentimental value, such as trophies. | She said the fire had also destroyed many items of sentimental value, such as trophies. |
| "On Sunday we are going to play a junior championship final in Newry so this is a big day coming up. Now we have been set back a bit." | "On Sunday we are going to play a junior championship final in Newry so this is a big day coming up. Now we have been set back a bit." |
| 'Appeal for calm' | 'Appeal for calm' |
| Sinn Fein assembly member Willie Clarke said: "I would appeal for calm within the nationalist community, particularly among young people who are devastated by this. | Sinn Fein assembly member Willie Clarke said: "I would appeal for calm within the nationalist community, particularly among young people who are devastated by this. |
| He said he would ask them "to think of what happened and not allow it to happen to anyone else". | He said he would ask them "to think of what happened and not allow it to happen to anyone else". |
| Condemning the attack, DUP assembly member Jim Wells said he believed it was the latest in a series of similar incidents in the area. | Condemning the attack, DUP assembly member Jim Wells said he believed it was the latest in a series of similar incidents in the area. |
| "This gets the community nowhere if we start to get into tit-for-tat vandalism of other people's property," he said. | "This gets the community nowhere if we start to get into tit-for-tat vandalism of other people's property," he said. |
| "If we keep on the way we're going, it will put people's lives in danger and it's got to stop." | "If we keep on the way we're going, it will put people's lives in danger and it's got to stop." |
| The Grand Secretary of the Orange Order, Drew Nelson, said those "behind this attack are only trying to stir up sectarian division in a part of the province where relations between the two communities have been steadily improving over the past number of years". | |
| "An arson attack on any community hall is an attack on the whole community and must be condemned by everyone. | |
| "Anyone with any information about this attack should contact the police immediately." | |
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| Community reaction to the fire | Community reaction to the fire |