Hundreds expected to mark Daly’s death
I’m no puppet, judge tells Dutch native guilty of assault on cops
THE first anniversary of the death of Bishop Edward Daly will be marked this evening by a special event at a Garden of Reflection which is being created in his memory.
The bishop’s family will travel to Londonderry to join the hundreds of people who are expected to mark the occasion.
Bishop Daly was original- ly from Co Fermanagh, but will always be associated with Derry and particularly for the role he played administering the last rites to the dying on Bloody Sunday.
He served as bishop for 20 years before retiring in 1994, but took up a post as spiritual director at the Foyle Hospice until shortly before he passed away on August 8 last year.
An anniversary mass at St Eugene’s Cathedral will be held tonight A DUTCHMAN who moved to Northern Ireland six years ago was spoken to in his native language by a local police officer when he was arrested for disorderly behaviour in the Waterside area of Londonderry earlier this year, a court heard.
Peter Bos (48), from Columba Terrace in the city, was arrested when he verbally abused police officers on duty at a Royal Navy parade outside Clooney Terrace Church of Ireland Church last May 7.
A Public Prosecution Service solicitor told District Judge Barney McElholm that Bos became irate when he saw several cars parked on yellow lines close to the church.
“One of the officers, who is fluent in Dutch, spoke to Bos in his native language and told him to moderate his behaviour. He advised Bos to move on but the defendant became more violent,” he said.
“He lashed out at one of the officers cutting him several times in the arm and when he was arrested he refused to give his details.
“He also made comments which were dismissive of the criminal justice system... he shouted at the police: ‘You are puppets of the State and so is the judge’.”
Bos was convicted of disorderly behaviour and of assaulting, obstructing and resisting police officers.
The District Judge imposed a twomonth jail sentence, suspended for two years, for each offence.
“I do not know how long this man has been here but he should know judges are not puppets of the State,” Mr McElholm said. at 7.30pm and the main celebrant will be Bishop Donal McKeown.
From there a procession will go to the Garden of Reflection in the Bogside, for a short inter-denominational service.
Among those attending the celebration to mark the first anniversary of Bishop Daly’s death will be members of his family, including his nephew Gerard Daly who described his uncle as “a giant of a figure”.