Suspected sectarian attack on historic buildings; Police on high alert in North as tensions mount; Celebrities choose their favourite churches
Suspected sectarian attack on historic buildings
Belfast Telegraph – Three of Londonderry’s most historic buildings have been damaged by paint thrown at them in the early hours of yesterday morning.
The suspected sectarian attack comes after the city hosted a successful flagship Twelfth parade.
Unlike Belfast, the loyal orders in Derry have been held up as a model of how to reach local accommodation on marches in the mainly nationalist city.
Two of the buildings attacked were churches and all of them are linked to the city’s Protestant heritage.
St Augustine’s Church of Ireland church, which was built in 1872 and which contains 164 graves dating back to 1609, had paint splashed over the entrance to the building from the city walls.
Less than 50 yards away, also on the city walls, is the Apprentice Boys of Derry Memorial Hall, which was built in 1873.
It also sustained paint damage to its wall overlooking the Bogside area of the city.
Next door to the Memorial Hall the First Derry Presbyterian Church which was built in 1780, also had paint bombs thrown at its front wall.
Workmen were at all three buildings throughout yesterday attempting to remove the paint as well as trying to remove paint splashed on the walls and on the road between the walls and the damaged buildings.
The First Derry congregation, led by Rev David Latimer, has been involved in many high-profile cross-community initiatives.
Police on high alert in North as tensions mount
Irish Times – In suspected nationalist attacks in Derry paint was splashed on St Augustine’s Church of Ireland church, the Apprentice Boys of Derry Memorial Hall and on the First Derry Presbyterian Church. The PSNI held a press conference earlier today where …
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/blast-bomb-attacks-in-north-and-east-belfast-on-city-s-fourth-night-of-violence-1.1464508
Celebrities choose their favourite churches
Belfast Newsletter – Local celebrities including Gloria Hunniford and Eamonn Holmes have joined Prime Minister David Cameron and church leader Dr Rowan Williams to in choosing their favourite UK churches.
As part of its 60th anniversary celebrations, the National Churches Trust has revealed some favourite places of worship as chosen by 60 top people from the world of politics, entertainment, journalism and academia.
Locally Eamonn Holmes and Gloria Hunniford have both identified their favourite churches.
Broadcasting veteran Gloria Hunniford recalled her local church on Portadown’s Brownstown Road.
“My favourite church has to be St Mark’s in the centre of Portadown, the town in which I was born and raised. My daughter Caron was christened at St Mark’s, and my sister’s funeral was held there,” she said.
“While I was growing up St Mark’s was the hub of social life in my community: a popular Northern Irish saying claims that you can spend a whole week in Northern Ireland on just one Sunday, and given that I would visit St Mark’s no less than five times every Sunday this was certainly true for me! However, despite all the time I spent there in my youth, it is only since I have returned in recent years that I have realised how beautiful St Mark’s is, and how privileged I was to spend so much of my childhood in such a wonderful building.
Television presenter Eamonn said his favourite is St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church, Belfast’s Donegall Street.
He said: ”This is the Parish Church of my family and extended family. I was baptised here in 1959, and my father’s funeral service was from here – as will mine be.”
Alex Polizzi, Mary Berry, Bear Grylls, Eamonn Holmes, Joanna Lumley and Terry Wogan are among the well-known public figures choosing their favourite church.
Full details of ‘The UK’s Favourite Churches’ can be found at www.favouritechurches.org.uk.