Ardoyne
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ardoyne (Ard Eoin in Irish, meaning high glen) is a predominantly Irish nationalist and Catholic district in North Belfast, Northern Ireland, made famous by the disproportionate number of incidents during "The Troubles". It is home to approximately 6,000 inhabitants.
Republican paramilitary organisations have had a major influence in the area from the start of The Troubles in 1969. There were many incidents involving these groups and both the Royal Ulster Constabulary and British Army. There has also been more wide spread conflict between this community and inhabitants from adjoining loyalist areas.
The rise in popularity of the Provisional Irish Republican Army and the Irish National Liberation Army led to more police raids in the area, supported on occasion by the British Army. Internment (imprisonment without trial) affected many in Ardoyne, which to this day remains a vocal point for Nationalists. Over the years after 1969, the area grew in membership for the Provisional IRA, so much that it became one of the "No go" areas, listed by the RUC and British Army, due to rising security risks and casualties suffered by the armed forces upon entering the district. A point can be made that the district has seen more than its fair share of the Troubles. The outskirts of Ardoyne have been scene to various encounters between Republicans (namely the Provisional IRA and, to a lesser extent, INLA) and the British Army during the Troubles.
Ardoyne and the wider north and west Belfast area has an above average suicide rate in comparison to the rest of the UK.[1] Various factors have been blamed for the deaths, including unemployment, social depravation and intimidation of the areas youth by republican paramilitaries.
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[edit] The Ardoyne Road
Violence often occurs on the Ardoyne Road during the Orange Order's marching season. The road is an "interface area", where nationalist and unionist communities meet. The local nationalist community oppose what they see as a triumphialist parade through their area, while marchers state their right to "walk the Queen's highway", along their traditional route.
The Parades Commission usually allow the march to take place. One particular cause of conflict is that in the past marchers have carried flags depicting Ulster Volunteer Force and Ulster Defense Association (paramilitary terrorist organisations) banners and played loyalist songs, often containing virulently anti-Catholic lyrics. Perhaps most controversial are the supporters of the march, who are allowed to follow the march as it goes along. These are people who are usually not members of the Orange Order. The 2006 march agreement however ensured that 'supporters' would not be allowed to march.
Residents on the opposite side of the Ardoyne Road are barricaded into their street by the police and British Army for several hours throughout the day, in the morning when the march goes by and in the evening when it returns, since there are only two exists from the estate. Local residents believe this to be a breach of their human rights. The Police Ombudsman concurs with this assessment but is of the opinion that the barriers are necessary for security reasons [2].
Unionists have highlighted the part republican organisations have played in protests including prominent convicted IRA men such as Sean Kelly who was arrested after violent protests during a parade.
Despite the local community group, the Ardoyne Parades Dialogue Group, and representatives of the march, the North and West Belfast Parades Forum, reaching an accommodation which imposed conditions on the march, golf balls and stones were thrown by a crowd being kept back by stewards. One woman, who had been part of the nationalist protest, was hit by a missile thrown by the crowd behind her [3].
[edit] Holy Cross dispute
The most recent international exposure given to Ardoyne was in 2001. Increased incidents of violence were experienced associated with protests which saw children of the Holy Cross Girl's School, some as young as four years of age, denied access to one of the entrances to their school.
[edit] Ardoyne's murals
Belfast is filled with areas depicting many murals of various topics, most often about the paramilitary connections of the area which they appear in. Whilst Ardoyne has some murals of this type, it mainly has murals to depict history, Irish traditions and important dates in Irish history, such as the 1916 Easter Rising and the Irish famine. Many foreign visitors find these murals to be impressive and believe that they add to the rich history of the area. Paramilitary banners often depict the 1981 Irish Hunger Strike, when ten Republican prisoners died from starvation during a protest to demand political status.
[edit] Ardoyne today
Today Ardoyne has a local GAA sports club and is home to the annual "Ard Eoin Fleadh Cheoil" (Ardoyne Music Festival). The festival attracts some of the most famous Irish musical acts, including the Wolfe Tones.
Once labelled a "No go" area for the police, the community has become much more open that it was in the past. Road barriers are all but gone, and many would say the residents now live in a normal, working class community.
