13 December 2001 Edition
Day out for Holy Cross kids
The Betsy Gray Sinn Féin cumann, in Ballynahinch, and South Down Ógra Shinn Féin brought a party of girls from the Holy Cross Girls school and their parents to County Down last Sunday, 9 December, for a day out.
The party from Ardoyne went to Coco's in Newcastle before travelling to Castlewellan GAA hall where they had a party for the children. Santa Claus also put in an appearance. A Sinn Féin councillor from the area, Francie Branniff, explained that the initiative came about because the local Sinn Féin cummann wanted to demonstrate it's support for the girls and their parents, given what they went through during the loyalist blockade of the school.
"This initiative arose out of a motion Sinn Féin brought forward on 19 November in Down District Council, which called for a cross party delegation to walk the Ardoyne Road in solidarity with the children and their parents. The SDLP chair of the council Ann McAleenan ruled the motion out of order, so it wasn't even debated," Braniff said.
"Rather than let the issue die, Sinn Féin and Ógra organised a day of activities for the children and their parents". Braniff applauded the Sinn Féin activists for their hard work in making the day a success.
The party from Ardoyne went to Coco's in Newcastle before travelling to Castlewellan GAA hall where they had a party for the children. Santa Claus also put in an appearance. A Sinn Féin councillor from the area, Francie Branniff, explained that the initiative came about because the local Sinn Féin cummann wanted to demonstrate it's support for the girls and their parents, given what they went through during the loyalist blockade of the school.
"This initiative arose out of a motion Sinn Féin brought forward on 19 November in Down District Council, which called for a cross party delegation to walk the Ardoyne Road in solidarity with the children and their parents. The SDLP chair of the council Ann McAleenan ruled the motion out of order, so it wasn't even debated," Braniff said.
"Rather than let the issue die, Sinn Féin and Ógra organised a day of activities for the children and their parents". Braniff applauded the Sinn Féin activists for their hard work in making the day a success.