Orange hall attacked hours after renovation
DUNLOY Orange Hall has again been defaced with sectarian graffiti, shortly after its recent renovation.
John Finlay, worshipful master of Dunloy LOL 496, reported that at around 6pm on July 12, Orangemen returned to the hall to find slogans on the newly-painted building. On Tuesday, the News Letter reported on the refurbished hall.
Mr Finlay, who is a DUP councillor, said that in addition to the July 12 discovery, further overnight vandalism was found at 7am yesterday.
He said: “I am absolutely appalled that in less than 24 hours after members of the Orange lodge had finished painting the hall it was attacked again with sectarian slogans.
“We went away on the Twelfth to the march to Ballycastle, and when we left the hall was perfect. When we came back at 6pm, there were IRA statements daubed on the hall.
“It said ‘Brits out’, ‘up the IRA’, ‘Get out’ and ‘Up the RA’. It’s absolutely outrageous to have this kind of sectarian abuse.”
The hall has been plagued by sectarian attacks in the past.
There have been a number of attempts to torch it and almost the entire building was at one time daubed with sectarian slogans. The Orangemen recently repainted the building in what they said was a gesture of goodwill to reduce tensions in the community.
Police are probing the incident and have appealed for information
