Controversy over removal of Antrim club's gates

August 23, 2016

The gates at the Oisin Glenariffe club.

Oisin Glenariffe's chairman has resigned after the club voted to remove gates dedicated to IRA men Charlie McAllister and Pat McVeigh.

The Antrim club's grounds are named after the two IRA volunteers who were killed during a gunfight with B-Specials in May, 1922 and the main entrance gates carry their names - McAllister & McVeigh Memorial Park.

However, in a secret ballot last week, in order to increase the club's chances of securing £180,000 in funding from the majority-unionist Causeway Coast and Glens Burough Council towards building a new £1m shared community centre on their land, they voted to remove the two large gates.

The funding proposal had already been passed before the DUP expressed concerns at members of the Protestant community having to use the gates, leading to a fear that the funds might be withdrawn.

The Glens of Antrim club have therefore agreed to take the memorial gates down and reposition them at the entrance to their hurling pitch, but the decision has caused a split in the club, according to The Irish News, with their chairman Eddie Haughey stepping down as well as some team managers.


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