AN ONGOING SECURITY alert at the ground of a GAA club in East Belfast has been described as “utterly unacceptable” by Alliance leader Naomi Long.
PSNI officers attended the scene of a security alert at the playing fields in the Church Road area of Castlereagh yesterday, which is the home of East Belfast GAA.
The area is historically unionist and the GAA club promotes unity across the political divide.
East Belfast GAA is based at the Henry Jones playing fields, facilities it shares with teams from other sports.
Its club crest features the Red Hand of Ulster, as well as the club’s motto “Together”, which is written in English, Irish, and Ulster-Scots.
Police remain at the scene this morning and a spokesperson said: “The playing fields remain closed this morning while searches are being carried out.
“Ammunition technical officers are currently in attendance at the scene. Members of the public, including motorists, are reminded to avoid the area.”
Nearby Lough View Integrated Primary School and Nursery is also closed today because of the operation.
Naomi Long, leader of cross-community party Alliance, called the incident “utterly unacceptable”, adding: “Everyone in East Belfast has a right to live, work, and play without intimidation or threat.
This is utterly unacceptable. Everyone in #EastBelfast has a right to live, work, and play without intimidation or threat.
— Naomi Long MLA (@naomi_long) May 22, 2023
Solidarity with @EastBelfastGAA and all those who use these facilities.
Thoughts with those living in the area and @PoliceServiceNI dealing with this. https://t.co/DmkAwrvBEH
“Solidarity with East Belfast GAA and all those who use these facilities.”
In a statement last night, East Belfast GAA said it was “disheartened to hear about the recent security alert at Henry Jones Playing fields”.
The GAA club was founded in the summer of 2020 and has used the Henry Jones playing fields since its inception.
“We are saddened at those who threaten to disrupt the peace and cause alarm,” the statement added.
“This is especially disappointing following the positive news that some of the underutilised space at Henry Jones will be reallocated to facilitate a GAA pitch.
— East Belfast GAA (@EastBelfastGAA) May 22, 2023
“East Belfast GAA is one of the fastest-growing sports clubs in the city. Our membership is diverse, and we are proud to be a part of an ever-changing, multicultural city.”
The incident comes a week after East Belfast GAA was criticised by a local Traditional Ulster Voice (TUV) representative in East Belfast.
Anne Smyth ran unsuccessfully in last week’s Northern Ireland local elections and published an online post about “The GAA saga in East Belfast”.
In her Facebook post, she said East Belfast GAA “came to our attention” when it attempted to run a taster session at a local primary school to give pupils an experience of Gaelic Games.
However, Smyth noted that this was later cancelled when the school “claimed it had been threatened on social media”.
Smyth added: “An open letter was sent to the school sympathising with its experience but pointing out that the decision to cancel was nevertheless justifiable in view of the sectarian nature of the supposed ‘sporting’ organisation that is the GAA.”
She also hit out at the usage of the Henry Jones playing fields by East Belfast GAA and questioned why “rates are being devoted to the sole use of a sectarian ‘sporting’ organisation”.
“If the club is sincere in its wish to reach out to the unionist community of East Belfast, all it has to do is dissociate itself from the GAA’s fixation with violent republicanism, both historically and currently,” wrote Smyth.
Smyth also criticised Linda Ervine, who is the sister-in-law of late David Ervine, a former member of the Ulster Volunteer Force and a former leader of the Progressive Unionist Party.
Linda Ervine is also a speaker and supporter of the Irish language and the manager of Turas, an Irish language project in east Belfast.
Ervine was named the first president of East Belfast GAA when it was established in 2020.
She has also condemned the security alert at the Henry Jones playing fields.
“Today an integrated primary school has had to close because of a security alert which appears to have targeted a cross community GAA club,” said Ervine.
Today an integrated primary school has had to close because of a security alert which appears to have targeted a cross community GAA club. Lots of people working hard to move forward but being held back by a small minority who want to return to the Northern Ireland of the 1970s.
— Linda Ervine MBE (@ErvineLinda) May 23, 2023
“Lots of people working hard to move forward but being held back by a small minority who want to return to the Northern Ireland of the 1970s.”
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