Paul KeenanA Catholic priest in Belfast was subjected to “vile” abuse by nationalist residents of the Ardoyne after he oversaw the end of the Twaddell Avenue protest camp on October 1.
In his last act as a priest of the Ardoyne, Fr Gary Donegan was on hand to witness the conclusion of the protest that had been ongoing since 2013. That conclusion involved a symbolic march by loyalists to end the banned march of 2013, after which the encampment was dismantled.
This solution, however, while acceptable to the Crumlin and Ardoyne Residents’ Association (Cara), had been rejected by the Greater Ardoyne Residents’ Collective (Garc), members of which protested loudly during the march and afterwards turned on those they believed were party to the settlement.
Fr Donegan found himself surrounded by a gang of protestors as he was interviewed about the march and subjected to verbal abuse.
Describing the abuse as “expletive-laden”, Fr Donegan said “some of it was vile. It was disturbing, a tense time.” He nevertheless stood his ground in the face of the abuse until, he says “they saw [Sinn Féin’s] Gerry Kelly and went after him”.
Quick to point out that what happened “is not a true reflection of the area or its people”, Fr Donegan said he has received phone calls of support from many quarters, including bishops and loyalists shocked at members of the Ardoyne community turning on a cleric who, along with Fr Aidan Troy, walked with their children during the traumatic Holy Cross stand-off of 2001/02.
On the conclusion of the Twaddell Avenue protest, Fr Donegan acknowledged that “it is not a perfect solution” but it “gets us over the hump and we now have to build towards the future”.