A Derry priest, who earlier this year offered to meet with dissident
republicans in the City after the killing of a Catholic PSNI officers,
has criticised rioting and bonfires in the city this week.
Fr Michael Canny, who is the administrator of the Templemore parish
in the city said, “The dissident group which organised last weekend's
rioting and bonfires in the city is both morally and politically
bankrupt.”
He added, “People in the Bogside area of Derry are rightly angry at
the destruction to property the rioters have brought to the area. The
violence that had to be endured and witnessed by the residents of Fahan
Street, Joseph Place, St Columb's Wells, Lisfanon Park and surrounding
areas must be condemned by all right -thinking people.”
“From the evidence available it is very clear that the violence was
planned by organisations opposed to people living in peace and harmony.”
In a direct comment on those who organise such violence he said, “The
leaders and organisers of these violent acts are again showing
themselves to be both morally and politically bankrupt with idealism
only for destruction. They have proved beyond doubt that they still
have failed to grasp that this city and its people have moved on from
the days of death and destruction and they are not going back to those
dark days.”
Fr Canny also raised concerns about bonfires that were lit in Derry
on August 15, the Feast of the Assumption. He said that the bonfires
are, “Nothing short of a nuisance in the city” and had nothing to do
with religion.
“The people who came here with their tyres, with their rubbish and
with their timber were making a nuisance of themselves. A lot of
alcohol was consumed and all they did was create mayhem for people in
this area most of whom are elderly. Their action had certainly nothing
to do with the Feast of Mary like some of them claimed.”
Derry City Council has estimated that the clean-up bill after the bonfires alone would cost in excess of £6,000.