No plans to remove memorial

Lurgan's illegal memorial to the 1916 Easter Rising is unlikely to be removed, despite a Co Antrim council removing a similarly contentious structure.
Pacemaker Press INTL 28/05/2016
Republican SINN FÉIN parade through the Kilwilkie Estate in Lurgan to the unveiling of the Vol. Edward Costello 1916 Memorial Garden
Photo Aidan OReilly Pacemaker PressPacemaker Press INTL 28/05/2016
Republican SINN FÉIN parade through the Kilwilkie Estate in Lurgan to the unveiling of the Vol. Edward Costello 1916 Memorial Garden
Photo Aidan OReilly Pacemaker Press
Pacemaker Press INTL 28/05/2016 Republican SINN FÉIN parade through the Kilwilkie Estate in Lurgan to the unveiling of the Vol. Edward Costello 1916 Memorial Garden Photo Aidan OReilly Pacemaker Press

Last week Mid and East Antrim Council sent a contractor into the coastal village of Carnlough to remove a 1916 memorial which was substantially smaller than the one erected in Lurgan’s Lurgantarry estate.

Built by Republican Sinn Fein, the memorial was erected on land owned by the NI Housing Executive without planning approval by Armagh Banbridge and Craigavon Council.

A number of people were arrested last month after an illegal parade and ceremony to officially open the mememorial garden.

Earlier this year, in response from a question by Upper Bann MLA Jo-Anne Dobson, it was revealed that NIHE staff were warned they could be attacked if they attempt to remove the memorial.

The then Social Development Minister Lord Morrow said police told staff they could be attacked if they attempted to take it down.

Despite last week’s removal of the Carnlough memorial, a local council source claimed that it is ‘highly unlikely’ that attempts will be made to remove the memorial in Lurgan.

At the time of going to print no response was available from the local council.

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