Loyalist bonfire on site with asbestos lit despite warnings
Effigies of the Irish rap group Kneecap topped a different bonfire in south Belfast, while there was condemnation at the placing of Irish flags and sectarian slogans on other pyres in loyalist neighbourhoods.
Elsewhere, the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service also tackled a gorse blaze in the Belfast Hills off the Ballyutoag Road.
Firefighters tackle a blaze in the Belfast Hills off the Ballyutoag Road late on Friday night (Rebecca Black/PA)
The bonfire at Meridi Street, off the Donegall Road in south Belfast, had been the focus of warnings, political rows and legal challenges throughout the week.
Earlier on Friday, Stormont Environment Minister Andrew Muir urged that the bonfire on a site that contains asbestos and is also close to an electricity sub-station, which powers two major hospitals in the city, not be lit.
However it was lit as planned late on Friday while hundreds of other bonfires were also set alight in the July 11 tradition ahead of the Orange Order's July 12 parades on Saturday.
Effigies of controversial Irish rappers Kneecap above a message in the Irish language, which translated into English reads 'Murder your local Kneecap' following comments made by the Irish rappers about Tory MPs, placed on a bonfire on Roden St
Another bonfire nearby at Roden Street was topped with effigies of Kneecap, as well as a sign written in the Irish language.
A bonfire in Eastvale Avenue in Dungannon, Co Tyrone, features the group on a poster with the wording 'Kill Your Local Kneecap', seemingly in response to a clip that emerged from a gig in 2023, which appeared to show a member saying: 'The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.'
There was also criticism of the placing of Irish flags and sectarian slogans on a number of bonfires including one in the Highfield area of west Belfast.
A bonfire is set alight in the Highfield area of west Belfast on Friday night (Rebecca Black/PA)
A small number of bonfires were lit on Thursday night, including the controversial pyre in Moygashel, Co Tyrone, which had been widely criticised by political representatives and church leaders after it was topped with an effigy of migrants in a boat.
In a statement released ahead of the fire being lit, the PSNI said they were investigating a hate incident in relation to the fire.
Effigies of migrants in a boat burn atop a bonfire at Moygashel, Co Tyrone, ahead of events to mark the Twelfth of July (Niall Carson/PA)
The boat on top of the bonfire contained more than a dozen life-sized mannequins wearing life jackets.
Below the boat were several placards, one saying: 'Stop the boats', and another saying: 'Veterans before refugees'.
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Irish Examiner
an hour ago
- Irish Examiner
Sarah Harte: Proud revolutionary history of the GPO deserves better than shops and offices
Against the backdrop of increased 'Ireland for the Irish' protests, the story of who we are feels more pertinent than ever, which is why developing the GPO to include offices and retail spaces is a crummy idea. It demonstrates a depressing lack of cultural confidence, which isn't a surprise because the British were so adept at separating us from a sense of pride and culture that we ended up a nation of property developers. Nothing wrong with property developers. As someone who is pro-business, I have the utmost respect for visionary businesspeople who take risks and make things happen, but in their lane. If the French had a GPO with a comparable history, would they have partially developed it as shops and offices? They would deem the idea 'sauvage'. Is it too much to ask that the New Ireland be more confident? Last Saturday, Sinn Féin organised a hands-off our rebel history protest against the development of the GPO into office and retail space. Just over nine years ago, around 500,000 people lined the streets of Dublin on Easter Sunday to commemorate the Easter Rising and what some view as the genesis of the modern independent republic. On both days, people who turned up will inevitably have different perspectives on the Easter Rising. This was also true at the time of the rising, with a plethora of different reactions to the five-day event, which subsequently grew either more hostile or more sympathetic from those who had initially viewed it as a 'putsch without popular support.' When WB Yeats wrote his famous political poem 'Easter 1916', Maude Gonne wrote him a tetchy letter from Passy in Paris telling him how much she disliked it, telling him that 'above all it isn't worthy of the subject.' She sternly told him that MacDonagh, Pearse, and Connolly were 'men of genius, with large, comprehensive, speculative and active brains.' Certainly, our history has never been straightforward and cannot be explained by simplified narratives. Yet, the revisionist line that the signatories to the proclamation were a bunch of bloodthirsty psychopathic terrorists without an electoral mandate who set themselves up as a provisional government and should not have been commemorated at all in 2016 is one that is at best reductive, with an inherent, tedious bias that is markedly telling. A view from the kind of people who get excited at the sniff of the word Royal and see us as a kind of empire affiliate, people who would now happily rejoin the Commonwealth (in a poll last year, 40% were persuadable) and think an honours system here would be great. A South Dublin medic once told me that Chelsea was the epicentre of the cultural world. I greatly enjoyed the laugh that this gave me (head thrown back territory actually), but I suppose one man's feast is another woman's famine. We are all prisoners of our past. Myths are how we explain ourselves to ourselves on the level of family, community and country. The past is shaped by who's telling the story, and that story can never be scientific in its accuracy; it shifts like grains of sand and is always personal and ideological As Richard Cohen, author of Making History: The Storytellers Who Shaped the Past, wrote: 'Every man of genius who writes history infuses into it, perhaps unconsciously, the character of his own spirit. His characters ... seem to have only one manner of thinking and feeling, and that is the manner of the author.' A consideration moving forward is not only how we choose to view and celebrate the past, but also how we honour who we are now. These questions are closely connected. An engagement with the past should dictate an investment in the future, but what do we mean when we say 'invest'? Cultural, intellectual, religious and political influences are increasingly more diverse here. This inevitably means an expanding definition of what it means to be Irish. This necessitates guarding against polemical utterances on who is Irish, because we have new mythmakers who peddle hate and sow dissension, who appropriate the Tricolour for their hollow strains of ethno-nationalism. The shattered remains of the General Post Office after the Easter Rising. Picture: Getty Images As it happens, there is already an interpretive centre in the GPO which narrates our past. We could add to this curation and preservation of our history a place of artistic excellence, intellectual exchange and education that would honour the idealism and bravery of previous revolutionaries. And I don't just mean the signatories to the Proclamation. I mean all the men and women who fought for Ireland in 1916, in the War of Independence, in the Civil War, regardless of what side they were on, who made sacrifices, were sometimes forced into brutal acts, but who had a dream of which we are the beneficiaries. A dream that went beyond shops, offices and high-end apartments for pension funds. They are turning in their graves In other words, in a bullet-riddled historic building, we make new history with a range of voices for a new, confident Ireland, in a broadened culture. We support theatre, dance, art, music, poetry, photography, and literature through artist residencies in dedicated spaces because, in a new Ireland, the cultural ideals on which a claim of nationality rests need to develop. Una Mullally in The Irish Times has written repeatedly and persuasively about the opportunity inherent in developing the GPO and O'Connell Street 'that can inspire and facilitate generations to come'. She's on the nose, although the founder of the Little Museum of Dublin, Trevor White, considers the cultural development of the GPO to be a performative virtue-signalling soporific one. His solution involves converting part of the GPO into owner-occupied apartments, with the proceeds then used to develop social and affordable housing in affluent suburbs. On paper, this might sound plausible, except experience tells us that development for a niche market rarely leads to affordable social housing. Ultimately, this is a well-intentioned pipe dream. To paraphrase him, it's gentrification on steroids. It's beyond the word count of this column to analyse the outcomes of the Part V rules, which compel developers to hold back 10% of a development for social housing. They have been in force since 2000, and saying they haven't been a success is an understatement. I don't disagree with White that people should live on O'Connell Street and in the city centre, but which people? Regardless of your perspective on what 1916 signifies, or even if you miss the days when Ireland was run from Dublin Castle and you continue to tug what you view as your metropolitan forelock to Blighty, our colonisation is undeniable as the defining event of who we are. This feels more germane than ever as we witness imperialist adventures in Ukraine and Gaza, which, as historian Professor Jane Ohlmeyer of Trinity College Dublin points out, are 'legacies of empire'. As the Irish Examiner editorial wrote on Monday, 'We can learn well or badly from history ... we have a duty of care, not only to our own descendants but the wider world we'd like to see.' The marked idealism that characterised the run-up to and aftermath of 1916 is in woefully short supply. That 'wider world' or vibrant civic culture will never be achieved by building more shops and offices, or, for that matter, high-end apartments. Spare us.
The Irish Sun
2 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
From bragging posts to iconic vid – the damning evidence that led to arrest of idiots who chopped down Sycamore Gap tree
THE two idiots who felled the historic Sycamore Gap tree have finally been jailed for their shocking crime. Now, we reveal the damning evidence that led to their conviction, from bragging posts to a shocking video of the chopping. 10 The two men who chopped down the Sycamore Gap tree have finally been jailed Credit: EPA 10 The historic tree had stood by Hadrian's Wall for more than a century before it was felled in September 2023 Credit: AFP 10 Video footage extracted from one of the criminals' phones shows how Carruthers cut down the tree using a chain saw late at night Credit: PA Daniel Graham, 39, and Adam Carruthers, 32, were Detective Inspector Calum Meikle, who investigated the felling, said he knew he'd solved the crime when he saw the tree's "fantastically famous outline" on one of the perpetrator's phones. He revealed that officers were "tipped off" about Graham and Carruthers' involvement a few weeks after the shocking felling of the historic tree in September 2023. The tip-off stated that the pair of ground workers were responsible for chopping the tree down, even keeping a piece of the wood as a trophy. Read More on UK News This led to the arrest of both men and seizing of their phones. Speaking to the However, after sending it to be digitally enhanced, investigators discovered they had found evidence of the tree being destroyed. Gasps could be heard at Newcastle Crown Court as the now Most read in The Sun DI Meikle said: "I'm always impressed with what our digital forensic units are able to achieve. "But, as you have seen from the video, as the person filming moves back, it shows us that fantastically famous outline (which) was undoubtedly the Sycamore Gap tree. Men who cut down iconic Sycamore Gap tree sentenced to 4 years and 3 months in jail "I was very pleased to have that evidence." Graham's phone also housed multiple other pieces of damning evidence, including photographs of a wedge of the tree trunk taken by the criminal as well as that of a chainsaw in the boot of his Range Rover. The pair of idiots not only chopped down the history tree but also damaged Hadrian's Wall during their "moronic mission". In just two minutes and 41 seconds, the two men chopped down the tree, which had stood next to the historic wall for more than a century. At their trial, the court heard how the pair had only recently admitted to responsibility for the felling in interviews with the Probation Service. They accepted they drove 30 miles through a storm to chop down the iconic landmark in the early hours of September 28, 2023. 10 Pictures recovered from Graham's phone show a piece of the iconic tree, and the chainsaw used for the shocking act, in the back of his vehicle Credit: PA 10 DI Meikle said he knew he'd solved the crime when he saw the tree's 'fantastically famous outline' on Graham's phone footage Credit: PA 10 The pair of idiots had travelled from Carlisle overnight to commit the shocking act of vandalism Credit: PA Mrs Justice Christina Lambert said: "I can now be sure you, Adam Carruthers, were the person who felled the tree and you, Daniel Graham, assisted and encouraged him by driving there and back and not least by filming it on your phone." As they fled the scene, Carruthers forwarded the sick video to his partner. The wedge of the iconic tree - which was photographed in their vehicle - has never been found. Following their shocking crime, and as news broke of the vandalism, the pair shared social media posts about the tree, with Graham saying to Carruthers "here we go," as they "revelled" in reports of the crime. Although prosecutors said the friends had chopped the famous tree down for "a bit of a laugh," and suggested Carruthers was so obsessed with the Sycamore Gap that he wanted the wedge as a special souvenir for his newborn daughter, neither has offered any proper explanation for why they did what they did. This week, Carruthers claimed he had drunk a bottle of whisky and could barely remember chopping down the tree - although the judge said this was implausible due to the skill and coordination of the crime. Andrew Gurney, representing Carruthers, said he had made the admissions in a pre-sentence report. 10 Judge Mrs Justice Lambert delivered the sentencing of both criminals this week Credit: PA 10 Daniel Graham, 39, has been sentenced to four years and three months in prison for his role in the felling of the Sycamore Gap tree 10 Adam Carruthers, 32 - who chopped the tree down with a chainsaw - has also been jailed for the same time He said: "He does wish to cleanse his conscience of what he has done. People want to know 'Why? Why did you conduct this mindless act?' "Unfortunately, it is no more than drunken stupidity. He felled that tree and it is something he will regret for the rest of his life. "There's no better explanation than that.' Richard Wright KC, prosecuting, said there had been a 'high degree of planning and premeditation'. He said: "This was an expedition which required significant planning in terms of taking a vehicle, driving for about 40 minutes to a car park, taking with them appropriate specialist equipment, carrying the equipment for about 20 minutes' walk in each direction. 'The felling was carried out in a deliberate, professional way.' On the other side, Graham continued to blame his accomplice, insisting cutting the tree down had been Carruthers' "dream" and "his show" which he simply went along with. The criminal also claimed he was "shocked" that Carruthers had followed through with his plan. 10 The felling of the tree sparked nationwide condemnation Credit: Getty
RTÉ News
2 hours ago
- RTÉ News
European Commission to propose merging CAP funding with other funds
The European Commission is set to propose merging Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) funding with other funds, in a radical overhaul of how farmers receive financial supports from the European Union budget. Draft documents of the proposals, seen by RTÉ News, indicate that from the start of the next EU budgetary cycle in 2028, the commission plans to pool dedicated agricultural and rural financial supports into a single National and Regional Partnerships fund. The proposal would mean CAP would no longer be a stand-alone fund within the EU budget but would instead be merged with EU cohesion, migration, and infrastructure funding. This could result in certain funding for agriculture within the EU budget no longer being ringfenced and see financial supports funnelled away from farming and into other areas. In the draft, the commission argues the change would allow for "stronger synergies between policies", and create a more flexible, crisis-responsive budget that better reflects the EU's shared priorities. The commission will outline its proposals to MEPs later today for the next EU budget - known as the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) - which comes into effect in 2028. Irish farmers receive around €2 billion annually in CAP payments to help support the rural economy and food production. This funding is divided into two pillars - the first comprising direct payments to farmers, with the second focusing on rural development. However, the draft commission document proposes to guarantee "coherence by integrating the CAP interventions from the current two-funds structure under one single umbrella". The proposal suggests member states would have more power to reallocate funding "based on their specific needs rather than uniform allocations". Some Irish MEPs who have seen the leaked commission proposals say they risk CAP funding to farmers being considerably reduced, with some estimates suggesting they could see a drop of up to 30%. Fine Gael MEP Maria Walsh, who is a member of the European Parliament's Agriculture Committee, said they "highlight a real risk of the already insufficient CAP budget being further decreased. "While the relevance of some pillar-two tools - from farm advisory services to LEADER programmes - is maintained in the proposal, the funding is uncertain. "Without guaranteed investment, our rural communities and farmers will suffer. For example, the ringfenced funding for LEADER programmes has been abolished - I will be fighting within the Agriculture Committee to reverse this decision," she added. The commission's plans also recommend CAP funding "should be focused on active farmers", meaning supports would be "targeted towards farmers who exercise agriculture as a principal activity". In addition, the proposals would increase supports for younger farmers significantly, with funding for the costs of establishing a new farm potentially rising from €100,000 to €300,000. Independent Ireland MEP Ciaran Mullooly said he is "alarmed and concerned" by the reported proposals "to scrap a fund with millions of euros of Pillar 2 rural development grants. "These grants provide a lifeline to many parts of the midlands, west, north west and north east," he said. He added that "the Commissioner is proceeding against the advice of all farmers and community groups with a single fund to be merged with cohesion funds paid to member states. "The scale of cuts in the budget being proposed are absolutely disastrous for Irish farmers." 'Big battle ahead' - IFA The Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) has described the draft proposals as "very concerning". IFA President Francie Gorman said: "it is clear that the EU Commission is downgrading the importance of the CAP and food production to allow for greater spending elsewhere. "The CAP is being turned into an environmental and social policy. Support for farmers who are producing the most food is being consistently reduced. "At a time when Ireland is a net contributor to the overall EU budget, this level of investment in every parish takes on even more significance," he said. "CAP has been the cornerstone of the multi-billion export sector that underpins thousands of jobs in regions far from the urban centres. "There is a big battle ahead to retrieve a coherent policy from what the EU Commission is proposing," he added. 'Beginning of a protracted process' Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon has said that the commission's budget proposals are "just the beginning of a protracted process". The minster said: "Member States will, through the Council of Ministers, begin the process of agreeing a general approach to the commission's proposals, before engaging in line-by-line negotiations with the EU Parliament and the EU Commission. "This will take some time, and I fully expect the progression of these proposals to be a significant feature of Ireland's Presidency of the EU Council in the second half of next year. "My priority throughout will be to ensure that the legislation finally agreed reflects Ireland's concerns, and provides certainty and stability for farmers," the minister added. Once the commission sets out its proposed EU budget, this will start a process of debate and negotiation that will ultimately lead to a final vote on the next budget for the bloc, that would begin in 2028. Ireland is expected to play an important role in this process, especially regarding CAP funding, given that we will hold the rolling six-month EU presidency for the second half of 2026.
