Confusion over council '˜statement' on Raymond McCreesh play park

Republican group Saoradh organised a tribute at Raymond McCreesh Park in Newry on Sunday afternoon, with terror victims having talked about visiting the playground at the same time.

McCreesh was an IRA man who was arrested with a weapon used in the Kingsmills massacre several months after the 1976 south Armagh atrocity. He died on hunger strike in 1981.

Despite advance public complaints from terror victims and unionists, Saoradh member Stephen Murney insisted that the demonstration outside the playground would continue.

Some terror victims said they intended to bring their children to the playground at the same time as a counter-protest.

However, Colin Worton, whose brother Kenneth was killed at Kingsmills, said they called off their protest due to promises by the council.

“We were told the council was to issue a statement saying that the playground was not be used for anything political,” he said.

UUP councillor David Taylor had been in discussions with police and the council. “I received confirmation that a statement would be released by the council,” he added.

However, a council spokeswoman insisted that no such statement about the playground being politically neutral was issued.

Victims’ campaigner Barrie Halliday said eggs were thrown at his colleague Willie Frazer’s car when he stopped at the park to erect his own posters in the area on Saturday, some 24 hours before the republican event was due to take place.