11 March 1999 Edition
United Irishmen monument vandalised
by Dan O'Neill
Loyalists are believed to have been behind an attack on a monument erected in West Belfast to commemorate a local family prominent in the 1798 United Irishmen Rebellion.
The stone memorial to the Teeling family which stands on the Stewartstown Road between Twinbrook and Poleglass was attacked with hammers and paint in the early hours of Friday morning February 26 and is the third such attack in a fortnight.
The monument , which was unveiled by Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams during the West Belfast Festival last year, was erected at the same time as a similar monument to IRA Volunteers from the area, including hunger striker Bobby Sands. ``The idea was to link 200 years of republicanism in the area'', said local Sinn Fein councillor Paul Butler.
These attacks are a major setback for The Teeling Group which raised the money to fund the monument. Efforts now to erect a decorative wall surrounding the memorial will have to be suspended as the limited funds of the group will now be channelled into repairing the damage to the monument.
The Teeling Group appealed for help in repairing the damage, ``we urgently require a stone mason to carry out this specialised work needed. As a voluntary group we are also in need of funds to complete our project. Any donations will be gratefully received,'' he said.
The Teeling Group can be contacted on the following numbers: Daytime phone - 300411 or evening - 209282.
Donations can be sent to, The Teeling Memorial Fund, First Trust Bank Andersonstown Road, Account No. 02494059.
Loyalists are believed to have been behind an attack on a monument erected in West Belfast to commemorate a local family prominent in the 1798 United Irishmen Rebellion.
The stone memorial to the Teeling family which stands on the Stewartstown Road between Twinbrook and Poleglass was attacked with hammers and paint in the early hours of Friday morning February 26 and is the third such attack in a fortnight.
The monument , which was unveiled by Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams during the West Belfast Festival last year, was erected at the same time as a similar monument to IRA Volunteers from the area, including hunger striker Bobby Sands. ``The idea was to link 200 years of republicanism in the area'', said local Sinn Fein councillor Paul Butler.
These attacks are a major setback for The Teeling Group which raised the money to fund the monument. Efforts now to erect a decorative wall surrounding the memorial will have to be suspended as the limited funds of the group will now be channelled into repairing the damage to the monument.
The Teeling Group appealed for help in repairing the damage, ``we urgently require a stone mason to carry out this specialised work needed. As a voluntary group we are also in need of funds to complete our project. Any donations will be gratefully received,'' he said.
The Teeling Group can be contacted on the following numbers: Daytime phone - 300411 or evening - 209282.
Donations can be sent to, The Teeling Memorial Fund, First Trust Bank Andersonstown Road, Account No. 02494059.