Orange Hall arson attack: Orange community is ‘gutted and hurt’ says local member of loyal order

By Philip Bradfield
Published 2nd Nov 2022, 18:02 BST
Updated 2nd Nov 2022, 18:09 BST
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An orangeman who lives near the Orange Hall that was destroyed in a weekend arson attack says that members of the loyal order in the area feel "gutted and hurt" by the attack.

Ballynougher Orange Hall on the Aghagaskin Road near Magherafelt, was burnt down on Sunday afternoon, in what police are calling a hate crime.

Orangeman Paul McLean lives only a mile and a half from the destroyed building and knows many of its members, although he is a member of a different lodge.

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"Sadly what we are seeing is that there is an element within nationalist and republicans that doesn't want anything of unionism or orangeism to be about the place," said the DUP councillor, who is also a former council chairman.

Orangeman Paul McLean lives in Magherafelt, less than two miles from the destroyed Orange Hall. The DUP councillor is also a former Mid Ulster Council Chairman.Orangeman Paul McLean lives in Magherafelt, less than two miles from the destroyed Orange Hall. The DUP councillor is also a former Mid Ulster Council Chairman.
Orangeman Paul McLean lives in Magherafelt, less than two miles from the destroyed Orange Hall. The DUP councillor is also a former Mid Ulster Council Chairman.

"They cannot drive by it and leave things alone. And therefore it is an indictment on the whole area and leaves a bad taste in everybody's mouth that people cannot just go about their business and live their culture."

The members of the destroyed lodge are mainly elderly.

"I have been speaking to various members of the lodge in general conversation and of course this was to the fore. People are hurt and annoyed.

"The district in which many of those people reside is made up of very hard working, law abiding people and they wouldn't even consider retaliation. It wouldn't even come into their thinking.

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PSNI detectives looking at Ballynougher Orange Hall on Aghagaskin Road in Magherafelt, Co Londonderry, which was extensively damaged by a fire on Sunday evening. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA WirePSNI detectives looking at Ballynougher Orange Hall on Aghagaskin Road in Magherafelt, Co Londonderry, which was extensively damaged by a fire on Sunday evening. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Wire
PSNI detectives looking at Ballynougher Orange Hall on Aghagaskin Road in Magherafelt, Co Londonderry, which was extensively damaged by a fire on Sunday evening. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

"They just feel gutted and hurt about what has happened. They see it as an attack on their culture and police are treating it as a hate crime - and rightly so."

Orange halls in rural communities now usually have wire cages over their windows and shutters on their doors to try and prevent damage, he added.

Has has been disappointed by what he sees as the lack of response from nationalist politicians from the area, he said.

He commended SDLP MLA Patsy McGlone for condemning the attack and acknowledged that Newry and Armagh Sinn Fein MLA Conor Murphy also condemned it, when prompted, on Radio Ulster. But he also thinks it would be helpful if local Sinn Fein MLA Michelle O'Neill also condemned it.

"However, based on the support she has given to republican events in the past, I believe many in the Orange fraternity may see it as empty words,” he added.