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http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/court-told-how-schoolboy-was-knifed-five-times-as-he-tried-to-flee-attackers-14263012.html?r=RSS
Thursday, 9 April 2009
Chilling details of the alleged events on the night schoolboy Thomas Devlin was murdered have been revealed in court for the first time.
Thomas was attacked with a knife as he tried to climb over a fence to safety, the High Court has been told.
Prosecutors also revealed how two doctors attempted to save the 15-year-old as he lay dying in the street close to his north Belfast home.
Details emerged yesterday as the man accused of stabbing him five times was refused bail.
Gary Taylor (23), of Ross House, Mount Vernon, Belfast, is charged with murdering Thomas and attempting to murder his friend Jonathan McKee in August 2005.
They were attacked as they returned from a late-night trip to buy sweets at a filling station in the Fortwilliam area of the city.
Crown counsel Kate McKay said the teenagers and a third friend became aware of two males with a dog behind them as they walked along the Somerton Road towards Thomas’ home.
The boys became apprehensive and ran towards the rear perimeter fence of St Patrick’s school in an attempt to climb over it, the court was told.
Although one of them managed to scale a section and hid in the grounds of the school, Mrs McKay said Thomas and Jonathan were attacked by their pursuers.
She said: “Thomas was assaulted with a knife as he attempted to climb over the perimeter fence. The assault continued as he was falling to the ground.”
The barrister told the court it was alleged that the taller of the two attackers, Taylor, was the one who stabbed Thomas.
According to the prosecution a co-accused, Nigel Brown (25), hit Jonathan McKee around the head with a stick-type weapon.
Brown, whose current address is given as Maghaberry Prison, is charged with murder, attempted murder and causing grievous bodily harm with intent in what was described as a joint enterprise case.
Mrs McKay claimed Jonathan went over to try to help Thomas after Brown left the scene with the dog.
She said he was then stabbed, although a rucksack he was carrying managed to deflect the knife.
The teenagers’ friend witnessed the stick attack and saw Thomas being pulled down by Taylor, the court heard.
“He concealed himself for about 30 seconds during which time he heard screaming,” Mrs McKay said.
She told how a man identified as Witness A, who was coming from the Lansdowne Hotel, saw two bodies lying outside the school and called police.
Meanwhile, a doctor in the area who was out at a cash machine also spotted Thomas and began emergency resuscitation attempts. Another doctor known by Witness A was contacted and also arrived at the scene in an effort to help, the court was told. Mrs McKay said: “However, Thomas died later that evening as a result of the injuries sustained — five stab wounds.”
With both Taylor and Brown living at the Ross House apartment complex at the time of the murder, CCTV footage has been seized from the flats.
It depicts the two suspects leaving with the dog just before 11.30pm on the night of the killing, the court was told.
According to the prosecution it also shows Taylor returning at midnight and Brown just over 30 minutes later.
Mrs McKay said police experiments demonstrated there was enough time for them to get from Ross House to the scene of the murder and back again.
She claimed that in the footage of Taylor returning he enters the hallway walking backwards, covering his hands and shielding his front.
The former cash and carry delivery man later leaves the building a second time and again walks with his back to the camera when he re-enters the building, according to the prosecution.
Two associates Taylor claimed to be with on the night of the killing gave no statements to support this, Mrs McKay said.
The barrister acknowledged none of the witnesses were able to pick out either suspect at identity parades.
She also revealed that two reviews of the case were carried out after it was initially decided the evidence was not strong enough to bring charges.
Advice was taken from senior lawyers in Northern Ireland and from David Perry QC, Treasury Counsel in London.
“He has opined that there is a compelling case,” Mrs McKay said.
Defence barrister Mark Farrell claimed it was an “affront to the process of justice” for Taylor to be charged less than a year after the Public Prosecution Service wrote to tell him he would not be prosecuted.
“We say that the defendant has been mistreated by the process having come to it with clean hands,” Mr Farrell said.
“Secondly, this a very weak, circumstantial and fairly directionless case against the accused.” He argued that the Crown could not point to any evidence putting Taylor and Brown together at the scene of the attack, or produce any forensic link.
And Taylor’s explanation for being seen on CCTV walking backwards when he returned to Ross House was that he had taken drink and cannabis.
“He says he’s drunk when captured on camera, stupified by a combination of alcohol and drugs,” said Mr Farrell.
Despite his arguments Mr Justice Treacy refused bail after saying he was satisfied a prima facie case had been established.
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/death-at-the-g20-did-victim-suffer-three-police-assaults-14263014.html?r=RSS
Thursday, 9 April 2009
The Metropolitan Police faced fresh allegations of brutality last night after it emerged that a man who died at the G20 protests may have been attacked by riot police three times.
Ian Tomlinson was walking home from work when he was hit and pushed over by an officer in an apparently unprovoked attack. Minutes later the 47-year-old lay dying on a London street.
Last night, as it was revealed that the police officer concerned had come forward one week after the events, shocking new claims emerged that the violence meted out to Mr Tomlinson was even more severe than first thought.
A video had already emerged showing the newspaper seller being shoved forcefully to the ground by police as he walked with his hands in his pockets. But a photographer said that the incident was merely the third of a series of police attacks on Mr Tomlinson, before he died of a heart attack. Anna Branthwaite said that he had appeared desperate to get away during an earlier “unprovoked” attack in which police lashed him with a baton.
Last night, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) announced it was taking over responsibility for a criminal investigation and was still trying to trace other officers involved. Mr Tomlinson's family said they were “shocked and sickened” by the video and would not rest until they had answers.
Ms Branthwaite explained how she witnessed two initial attacks further up the street as Scotland Yard's riot police swarmed the area.
“The dog handlers [believed to be City of London Police] were just starting to sweep the street and form a police line when Ian Tomlinson arrived. I saw a riot police officer charge him from behind and propel himself forward with his body weight,” she said.
“Mr Tomlinson was on the ground and I saw him [the policeman] stand over him with a baton, hitting him twice. He was completely taken by surprise. He didn't know what hit him.”
The gravity of the situation facing Scotland Yard was reflected in a statement yesterday by its Commissioner, Sir Paul Stephenson.
He said: “My thoughts are with Mr Tomlinson's family at this time. The images that have now been released raise obvious concerns and it is absolutely right and proper that there is a full investigation into this matter, which the Met will fully support.”
The IPCC last night revealed that it had ordered a second post-mortem examination in a bid to determine if there was any external factor behind Mr Tomlinson's fatal heart attack.
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/shocking-calls-to-picket-foreign-homes-as-46-are-forced-to-flee-14263010.html
By Lesley-Anne Henry
Thursday, 9 April 2009
More than 40 foreign nationals have been intimidated out of loyalist parts of Belfast over the past two weeks, the Polish Association has claimed.
The dramatic upsurge follows violent clashes between Northern Ireland and Polish football fans almost a fortnight ago.
Eleven police officers were injured and a substantial amount of damage caused when gangs of Polish supporters went on the rampage before and after the World Cup qualifier on March 28.
Police said those involved in the violence do not live in Belfast but had travelled from Dublin and Scotland intent on trouble.
Since the match intimidation of Slovakians, Hungarians, Lithuanians and Polish people living and working in south and east Belfast has escalated.
A stormy public meeting to discuss the tensions in the Village heard repeated calls from the audience for foreign residents to be removed. There were even suggestions of pickets to force them out.
According to the Polish Association, which held an advice clinic for ethnic minorities forced out earlier this week, 46 people have fled the Village and Albertbridge Road areas because of physical abuse and attacks on property.
It is understood a number of those who left loyalist areas have presented themselves as homeless to the Housing Executive while others have sought refuge with friends.
Maciek Bator, from the Northern Ireland Polish Association, said at least five people had left Northern Ireland.
“In south Belfast the majority of people who have been attacked have decided to leave, especially those with children. They have left the Village area. There have also been a couple of attacks in east Belfast.”
Mr Bator believes young people were behind the damage and urged locals to see ethnic minorities as part of the community.
“Some people really want rid of the Poles from loyalist areas. They should not be looking at Poles as trouble makers. It is important to realise that they are beneficial for the local community, they are spending money in the local shops and are occupying the houses in the area.”
Ulster Unionist councillor Bobby Stoker disputed the figures put forward by the Polish Association.
“I think the numbers have been exaggerated. I understand the Housing Executive have six people looking for new homes. But as far as the community is concerned we don’t want to see anyone leave their houses. We are totally opposed to any sorts of abuse, attacks or intimidation. We have lived with it for over 30 years in the Village,” he said.
A PSNI spokeswoman said patrols have been stepped up in the Village and east Belfast in a bid to ease tensions.
The Housing Executive said: “Eight people have presented themselves as homeless in south Belfast and have cited trouble in the Village as the reason.”
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/loyalists-get-funds-to-oppose-the-racists-14263009.html
By Deborah McAleese
Thursday, 9 April 2009
Former loyalist paramilitaries have made an unprecedented public pledge to stand against Northern Ireland’s growing racism problem, the Belfast Telegraph can reveal.
The vow comes after a number of ex-UDA men took part in a groundbreaking anti-racism training programme — backed by the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister — which culminated in a visit to Poland.
A number of former UVF members are also due to complete their training within the next few weeks with a visit to the country.
The news comes amid claims that more than 40 foreign nationals have been intimidated out of loyalist parts of Belfast over the past two weeks.
The Polish Association has said that following violent clashes between Northern Ireland and Polish football fans before a World Cup qualifier earlier this month, 46 people fled the Village area of south Belfast and Albertbridge Road area in the east of the city because of physical abuse and attacks on property.
Loyalist paramilitaries have in the past been associated with racist attacks, but their involvement in this City and Guilds accredited programme is being seen as a clear indication they are now dedicated to working against it.
And the Belfast Telegraph has learned that former IRA members from south Armagh, Tyrone, Cavan and Monaghan have contacted course organisers about running similar schemes in their areas.
To date 36 loyalists — many of whom are ex-UDA, UFF and UVF men — have passed level one of the pilot scheme entitled ‘The Thin End of the Wedge’.
The pilot programme is currently mainly focused on working to eradicate racist attacks on Polish people living in loyalist areas of Belfast. However, it is hoped it will be rolled out to include other minority groups living in Northern Ireland.
Members of the Lower Shankill Community Association, who have just returned from Poland where they visited the concentration camps of Auschwitz, Birkenau and Plasnow, said the programme has helped them understand the potential “dangerous outcomes of racism”. The group includes a number of former paramilitary figures.
A spokesman for the group added: “The group agreed that historically, and indeed in certain conditions relating to present society, racism still exists and that at every opportunity this wrong within should be abhorred and every effort made to create a society free from such activity and mindsets.
“It is therefore our intention to spread the learning and findings of this course to our wider communities and in doing so create a tolerance of all races and groups within our society.”
Shankill community worker Frank Higgins — from specialist training company Transition Training — who delivers the course, said he approached loyalist group leaderships to try to encourage participation in the scheme as he was concerned about the growth of racism in the area.
“I explained that this issue is really starting to raise its head — that it is no longer sectarian but there is a much deeper undercurrent. I told them that this is how I think it can be dealt with. This project helps participants look at themselves from the outside in,” he said.
“The course can be modulised for each community depending on the type of racist issues that affect that area,” Mr Higgins added.
One loyalist who has completed the course said: “I think this course can change ideas about their (Polish) culture and would be a good thing for better community relations in Northern Ireland.”
Director of the Polish Association in Belfast, Maciek Bator, said the programme “will help build real relationships between the Polish and loyalist community in Belfast and we fully support its roll out.”
Romuald Lanczkowski, the Deputy Secretary General of the Senate of Poland, said: “By talking together and experiencing each other’s cultures at first hand we can really improve community relations at many, many levels.” OFMDFM has provided funding for the pilot scheme but organisers are hoping for future regional funding from Europe.
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/visteon-workers-wersquoll-not-give-up-until-ford-honours-its-promises-14263016.html?r=RSS
Thursday, 9 April 2009
Just over a week has passed since the shock closure of Belfast motor components firm Visteon.
The plant in Finaghy was put into receivership last Tuesday by owners Visteon UK and effectively over 200 former workers were dumped into stunned unemployment.
From when the announcement was made the employees have been occupying the factory in protest at the paltry redundancy deal offer by the receivers and are lobbying Ford to honour their commitment to their one-time proud workers and pay the recognised Ford package.
Everything still seems very surreal for myself and fellow former employees. The occupation of the plant continues to provide a focus for us. People come and go all hours of the day and night.
Maintaining a presence is one of the goals of union officials concerned and after a week of what could be a long, hard struggle, morale and spirits are as high as ever.
The gate is manned around the clock, the dustbin fires are stoked, food is cooked, papers are read, cards are played, witty banter is exchanged.
Everything is getting done. There are no managers, no supervisors, no bosses — only comrades in a fight together for what we see as rightful and honourable actions in either reopening the plant or proper redundancy deals.
Support continues to flow in from all around the area. This week a man approached the gate and spoke to one of our gate protesters and handed him an envelope containing a sizeable cash sum. We send our heartfelt thanks to those who have helped in any way.
Personally the news of closure was broken to me in a bizarre conversation with my wife Janet. Having worked a night shift last Monday night, oblivious to the hammer blow that was to follow, I headed off to bed around lunchtime all set to go back into work as normal on Tuesday.
At around 6pm my wife woke me to tell me she had just seen it on the news and Visteon was closed and I had no job. How cruel and heartless is that for any employee of nearly 13 years to learn he no longer had a job?
Still coming and going to the plant on a daily basis had cocooned us a little from the reality that we are unemployed but this week I got my first real dose of reality on a visit to the dole.
I left school at 17, took a labouring job and then went to serve my time as an electrician with Lisburn Council. I left there in 1996 to join Ford as an operator and what I thought was a job for the remainder of my working life.
I started as an operator, then moved into the quality department as an audit inspector a few years ago.
This was a great factory to work in, people were from all walks of life and the companionship and sense of belonging was plain to see. I have made lifelong friends in here and would have hoped to have them all as work colleagues for a lot longer.
Sitting down in a jobseekers interview for the first time in nearly 30 years is a very sobering experience and when the clerk informs you that you are entitled to basic allowances the bleak truth hits you.
I am 44 years of age and thought I was settled in a good well paid job. Now I’m out on the street with no clue what direction to take. I have a wife, Janet, and a daughter, Meghan (12), at home. I am the breadwinner — it is my job to provide for them and that has been taken away from me.
We will continue to occupy the plant in the hope that Ford will do the honourable thing, but it has been a turbulent week and still a lot of soul searching has to be done as to what the future holds for myself and all the others here.
Symbolic walk to doomed site
Workers at the Visteon plant in west Belfast have continued their campaign against job losses with a symbolic walk to their former workplace, still occupied by workers one week after administrators arrived.
“Ford, the ‘Focus’ is on you,” urged one punning banner at the rally over 210 lost jobs at the car supplies plant — previously owned by Ford — on Finaghy Road North.
Around 150 family members, former colleagues, politicians and trade unionists, and three ‘anarcho-syndicalists' with a giant red and black flag, came out in the pouring rain to support the mostly-male workforce yesterday lunchtime.
Visteon UK was formed as a spin-off from Ford in 2000.
Now Visteon is in administration — but with Ford their main customer, the workers of Finaghy Road North feel the car company is morally responsible to help them.
In particular, they feel Ford should honour promises to ‘mirror’ Ford pay conditions. Ford said it has behaved responsibly and morally and that any promises were Visteon’s to keep.
But the Belfast workforce is not happy. “There's a hole in my pension, dear Henry, dear Henry,” implored one poster for the attention of the man who gave his name to Ford.
Most demonstrators spent 10 to 30 years at Visteon. It had raised their families, many said. In 13 years, Jake Burns (44) earned a “good” wage for his family. “There was a certain lifestyle we all had,” he said.
His first thought was: “We're not going down without a fight. Either the plant reopens or we get the redundancies we are entitled to.”
Stephen Davis (39) worked on the shop floor for 11 years. “We thought they'd look after us but it hasn't happened.”
The hardest blow is for his children. “They are beginning to realise that some of the things they used to do, they can't do any more.
“My kids will lose out more than me — I don't really have any kind of lifestyle, but they do.” Looking ahead to the future, he said: “I will be signing on this Friday.”
He has been occupying the factory along with other workers but they have been warned they may be thrown out. Support has been “tremendous — one guy came up and gave us £400 in an envelope”.
Elizabeth McGowan from Carryduff is living on benefits as she recovers from breast cancer. Her husband John (46) climbed the ladder at Visteon to become shift leader. After 30 years service, she said he will get “basic government redundancy”.
Their 14-year-old son Luke said: “My mum was sick and wasn't on proper pay and she still isn't working. My dad is being made redundant. What are we going to do?”
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/government-owes-sinn-fein-millions-mcguinness-14263060.html?r=RSS
Thursday, 9 April 2009
Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness has dismissed criticism of Sinn Fein’s Westminster accommodation expenses by claiming the Government actually owes his party millions.
Mr McGuinness and his four MP colleagues have received over £105,000 between them for annual London living costs, while refusing to take their parliamentary seats.
The row over these pay-outs intensified further last night, with the Tories signalling that the allocations will be halted if they win the next General Election.
Mr McGuinness and fellow Sinn Fein representatives Gerry Adams, Pat Doherty, Michelle Gildernew and Conor Murphy claimed £105,131 from the Commons in 2007/08, under an allowance for covering MP’s costs while staying in London.
Sinn Fein confirmed it leases two flats in the English capital for the use of the five politicians.
Their air fare expenses in 2007/08 were, meanwhile, significantly lower than other Northern Ireland MPs.
Three of the MPs — Mr McGuinness, Ms Gildernew and Mr Murphy — are Ministers in the Stormont Executive.
Sinn Fein MPs are not paid a Commons salary because of their abstentionist policy. But their total expenses from Westminster came to £681,235 in 2007/08 — also covering such areas as office-running costs, staffing and travel.
Mr McGuinness yesterday said: “The British Government does not give us one halfpenny of our salaries. In fact, if the truth be told, the British Government owes Sinn Fein millions of pounds.
“We have had not one red cent from the British Government as a salary over the course of the last 10 years and I think that those people who argue that Sinn Fein is not entitled to this money, the same as all the other parties, need to catch themselves on.”
The party, he said, made no apology to anyone for not taking their seats in Parliament and people supported their stance.
He said: “The citizens who vote for Sinn Fein are as entitled to get a first class service as the service provided by any other MP.
“That is exactly what we are doing. That money does not go into our pockets. It employs people. It rents buildings. It buys computers. It does all sorts of things in the interests of the citizens.”
Mr McGuinness said the two properties are rented and do not “go into the ownership of Sinn Fein”.
He also disclosed details of the salary he is paid by his party.
As an MLA at Stormont he was paid £42,461.52 in the financial year to April 2008. It was topped up with a further £64,136.95 for being Deputy First Minister — giving a total of £106,598.45. But he said he actually received £300 a week — the same as his driver.
However the Conservative Party’s Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Owen Paterson, last night said: “The answer to this is for Sinn Fein to take their seats at Westminster. “Should the Conservatives win a majority at the next election, one of their first priorities would be to restore the integrity of Parliament. I think that it is inconceivable that incoming Conservative MPs would vote to continue paying millions of pounds of public money to elected members who do not take their seats.”
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/house-of-lords-unveils-peersrsquo-payments-14263061.html?r=RSS
By David Gordon
Thursday, 9 April 2009
The House of Lords has issued its own expenses details — including sums received by veteran Northern Ireland politicians.
Members of the Lords do not receive a salary, but are eligible for daily and overnight subsistence payments.
Travel costs are also reimbursed, with air fares making up a significant proportion of the money paid out to Northern Ireland peers.
Expenses figures for the Lords for the financial year 2007/08 — together with totals for the days each attended — have now been published on the parliamentary website.
The details given for well-known Northern Ireland names on the list were:
Ex-Alliance leader Lord Alderdice — 46 days attended, £26,981 expenses paid.
Lord Ballyedmond — 15 days attended, no expenses claimed. The peer — businessman Edward Haughey — is the head of prominent company Norbrook.
Baroness Blood — 81 days attended, £38,843 expenses.
Lord Browne — 45 days attended, £18,830. Lord Browne is also a DUP Assembly member and a Belfast councillor.
Former Church of Ireland primate Lord Eames — 62 days attended, £29,974 paid.
Lord Kilclooney, ex-deputy leader of the UUP — 138 days, £58,775 expenses.
Lord Laird — 132 days attended, £66,264 paid.
Former UUP MP Lord Maginnis — 107 days attended, £54,106.
Lord Molyneaux — 143 days, £59,309 paid. The former long-time Ulster Unionist leader had the highest attendance figure of Ulster peers.
Lord Morrow — 46 days, £20,362. The peer is also a DUP MLA and a member of Dungannon and South Tyrone Council.
Baroness Paisley, wife of former Northern Ireland First Minister Ian Paisley — 20 days, £9,267 expenses paid.
Lord Rana, leading Belfast hotelier — 14 days attended, £7,180 expenses.
Lord Rogan — 120 days, £53,028 paid.
Lord Trimble, former UUP leader and First Minister — 131 days, £52,919 expenses.
The daily subsistence rate for peers in 2007/08 was some £80, while the overnight subsistence rate was in the region of £160. The other main expenses categories for peers are office costs and travel.
http://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/10758
Galway Advertiser, April 09, 2009.
By Kernan Andrews
Galway Sinn Féin will hold a number of ceremonies across Galway city and county to commemorate the 1916 Easter Rising.
A wreath laying ceremony will take place on Easter Saturday at 6pm at the Joe Howley statue in Oranmore. Anna Marley will be the main speaker at this event.
On Easter Sunday at 1pm a commemoration will take place at the monument in Castlegar with Galway City East candidate Martin Concannon giving the main oration.
The main Galway city commemoration will occur at the Liam Mellows statue in Eyre Square at 3pm. Arthur Morgan TD will be the guest speaker.
On Easter Monday Gráinne MhicGheidigh will give the main oration at 12 noon, Ros Muc at Teach an Piarsaigh. A wreath laying ceremony will take place in the Ard Bear cemetery at 2.30pm with Connemara candidate Kenneth Coyne giving the main address.
The commemoration at Thomas Whelan’s statue in Clifden will take place at 3pm with Gráinne MhicGheidigh speaking at this event.
At 5pm on Easter Monday a small ceremony will take place at Tullycross graveyard with Kenneth Coyne being the main speaker.
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/st-patrick-centre-tourism-mecca-or-a-white-elephant-14263046.html
Thursday, 9 April 2009
Despite pulling in 80,000 visitors a year some councillors feel the St Patrick Centre in Downpatrick is a waste of money. Environment Correspondent Linda McKee went along to find out why
The St Patrick Centre in Downpatrick has been described by some as a ‘white elephant’A WEEK before Easter, tourism season at Patrick Centre in Downpatrick has already kicked off.
The start of its visitor rush around St Patrick’s Day allows it to steal a march on Northern |Ireland’s other tourist attractions and last week a group of 40 overseas visitors were on site learning the story of Ireland’s patron saint.
As they explored the airy vaults of the visitors’ centre where the saint’s tale is revealed, they would probably have been surprised to learn that it doesn’t enjoy unstinting support in the area.
Since before it opened in 2001 the centre has been dogged with accusations of being a “white elephant” that relies on the council to keep it afloat.
Despite attracting more than 80,000 visitors in the first year after it opened in 2001, the independently run centre was almost immediately threatened with |closure due to a cash crisis. It has repeatedly had to seek additional funding from Down District |Council in the years since, despite agreeing a 10-year funding scheme that provides it with |£100,000 annually. Last week it approached the council once again to seek additional funds and the move has sparked fury among a number of councillors who feel St Patrick Centre is already getting enough.
DUP councillor William |Walker says he regularly fields calls from his Crossgar constituents who are irate at the |centre receiving money when they have no community facility.
“We don’t want to see the centre closing, but they are going to have to try to bring in some |revenue themselves. They can’t keep coming back year after year with the begging bowl. There are a number of councillors starting to get frustrated as there are other projects that could do with the money,” he said.
“They are going to have to try and cut their cloth to suit. Is it overstaffed? We don’t know.
“I don’t think it’s being marketed enough and they need to be getting more local people through the doors to use it for different things.”
Sinn Fein councillor Eamonn Mac Con Midhe says the visitor numbers have been lower than were predicted.
“We said at that time that we weren’t against the St Patrick Centre in principle, but we predicted the council would end up having to bail it out. They cannot survive without the council. It’s a company that wants an independent identity but they want all the council money. It will eventually fall into council hands — they will have no other option,” he said.
But centre director Dr Tim Campbell said, despite the shaky start, the centre turns over about £350,000 a year and is highly cost-effective. It has become part of one of the tourist board's Signature Projects and the benefits of that have yet to kick in.
“The original business plans were wildly optimistic and we had to deal with the reality of the situation, but we are still one of the top 10 visitor attractions in Northern Ireland,” he said.
“We think we are one of the most cost-efficient visitor attractions in Northern Ireland. Considering the size and scale of what we do, running the centre costs only a fraction of what it costs to run other visitor attractions of the same scale.
“We are the only permanent exhibition in the world about St Patrick and our American friends include people like the Archbishop of New York and the chairman of Coca Cola.
“We are delighted we have the support of the council, but we foresee things are going to get more difficult with the way the tourism industry will be going within the next year. Everything has increased in price so we need to be able to adapt for that.”
Dr Campbell says he is keen that the centre will no longer have to go through the process of seeking extra funding every year and it is in negotiations with the council to draw up a Service Level Agreement that would guarantee it a more secure future.
“We’d be delighted if some of the councillors who have issues with that would take the issue to Stormont. It’s time to stop running it down and support it,” he said.
--
* The £6.2 million St Patrick Centre was opened in late 2000, funded by Millennium lottery money.
* A series of interactive displays allow visitors to explore how Patrick's legacy developed in early Christian times and reveal the artwork and metalwork which was produced during this Golden Age.
* Designed by architects Consarc, the building is set into the ground so as not to block the view of the listed buildings behind, including the cathedral. It is a central hub on the new Saint Patrick's Trail through counties Armagh and Down.
* Daisies Cafe, which opened at the centre in November, provides employment for those with a mental illness or learning disability.
‘Downpatrick needs something like this’
It seems St Patrick’s Centre is a great thing for Downpatrick to have — but only for other people.
Most people interviewed on the streets of the town sheepishly admitted to not visiting it enough, but remained rather perplexed about what they should do there.
Bridie Burns (33), an office manager from Downpatrick, admitted she’d never been inside, despite regularly visiting the nearby museum for community events.
“I’ve never been in it. I’ve never felt we needed to go to it. There’s never been anything there of major importance to us,” she said.
“I should go into it because it’s a local heritage site. I don’t think it’s publicised enough. I’ve been to the museum for local events such as the craft fair, but I don’t know if St Patrick’s Centre really do events.”
Ciaran Boyle (43), a BBC staffer from Crossgar, had just been to the centre’s cafe.
“It probably could be better used by the people in Downpatrick. Most people don’t really know what it’s for,” he said.
“I quite like it, but having said that the only thing I use is the cafe. I’m not sure what it was built for. I think these interpretative centres can be almost big white elephants.” Andrew Gibson (30), from Saintfield, who works for the Down Recorder newspaper, admitted he hadn’t had a chance to go in and look around properly.
“I think it’s important for Downpatrick because of the history of St Patrick,” he said.
“It’s important for welcoming people into the country and even people in Northern Ireland who don’t know a lot about Downpatrick. It’s important to put a certain amount of money into it.”
Siobhan King, from Belfast, but who works in Downpatrick, thinks it’s a good building for the town to have.
“Downpatrick needs something like that. Friends of mine from Holland visited it — it was the only thing they went to outside Belfast,” she said.
“I don’t think there is a lot around here and there is a lot of history around the area and they are as deserving of a visitors’ centre as anywhere.”
John Loughran, a retired firefighter from Downpatrick, does visit regularly as he lives nearby.
He said: “They certainly deserve more money. They’ve had a lot of trouble with vandalism — there was someone who broke a window and it cost £3,000 to refit.
“That centre draws thousands of people on a monthly basis – there is a regular input of tourists, mostly from America, and a lot of English.”
Movie director Matthew Russell (30) says the centre is well known where he comes from — Los Angeles.
He is planning to make a film about St Patrick and would love to be able to shoot it in Ireland.
“I know a couple of people that have been. I’m doing research on St Patrick and there is no better place to do it,” he said.
“It’s a great way to get one of the most important parts of Irish history out there so it doesn’t get washed away for the younger generation and it’s a great way to bring income to Downpatrick.”
Updated: 10/4/2009
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