THE ONGOING TROUBLES experienced by East Belfast GAA in establishing themselves in their area has hit another issue with a security alert at the playing fields in Castlereagh on Monday evening.
Recently, the club got received an assurance that part of the under-utilised space at the Henry Jones Playing Fields would be assigned for their use.
Currently, East Belfast GAA have over 400 registered playing members, which makes them the largest club in Ulster in that regard. They field in Gaelic football, Ladies Football, hurling and camogie.
However, they have been targeted in the past with pipe bombs left at the scene where they have held training sessions, along with other methods of intimidation aimed at schools where they have been coaching children.
Lough View Integrated Primary School and Nursery confirmed it would be closed on Tuesday because of the operation.
East Belfast Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) is among the clubs to use the sports facilities.
The club have said that local sports clubs had worked hard to revive the pitches and it is “saddened at those who threaten to disrupt the peace and cause alarm.”
“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,” the statement added.
It will be the first council-run GAA pitch in east Belfast, “and is long overdue,” the club added.
PSNI Sargent Creelan said ammunition technical officers were at the scene and a road closure at the junction of Church Road and Manse Road remained in place.
“Members of the public, including motorists, are reminded to avoid the area. We will provide a further update in due course.”
In a social media post, Lough View Integrated Primary School, which is beside the playing fields, said it had been advised to close by police.
Alliance Party leader and East Belfast assembly member Naomi Long said that the situation was “utterly unacceptable”.
“Solidarity with East Belfast GAA and all those who use these facilities,” she tweeted.
Those thoughts have been echoed by the first club President of the club, Linda Ervine.
From a prominent Unionist family, Mrs Ervine is the current manager of the Turas Irish Language project on the Newtownards Road and was awarded an MBE by the late Queen Elizabeth last year for her services to the Irish language.
She said, “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.”
