Holy Cross priest and community workers threatened by armed gang

ARDOYNE PRIEST Fr Gary Donegan, Rector of Holy Cross Church, is among a dozen people threatened on social media by so-called ‘dissident republicans’.

As well as Fr Gary, up to a dozen community and social workers from across north Belfast were visited by the PSNI on Monday 6 June and told they are under threat.

In recent months, after the killings of Oldpark man Conor McKee in January and Michael McKibbon in Ardoyne on 16 April, Fr Gary has been outspoken in his condemnation of the killers and in his support for the north Belfast communities.

Reacting to the revelation, Sinn Féin North Belfast Assembly member Gerry Kelly challenged those behind the warnings to lift them.

These “armed gangs, masquerading as republicans”, are making “cowardly, despicable threats” which should be lifted immediately, said Kelly.

“This community has been through a lot in recent months following the murders of Conor McKee and Michael McGibbon by people masquerading as republicans.

“This latest attempt to intimidate those working to improve the quality of life for all the people of north Belfast will end in failure.”

Fr Gary also called on those behind the threats to “come to the church and speak to me face to face”.

This is not the first time the community-minded cleric has come under threat. Along with Fr Aidan Troy when he was prominent in escorting young children to school during the Holy Cross dispute in 2001 he came under threat from unionist paramilitaries.

Sinn Féin’s Gerry Kelly said: