East Belfast salute local community support over security scare

THE newly-formed East Belfast GAA club, which was at the centre of a security scare when suspect devices were discovered at the Henry Jones Playing Fields while they trained last Wednesday, have issued a statement concerning the events, in which they claim to have reassurances that incidents of a similar nature are not expected in the future.

The statement read: “As members will be aware, for reasons outside of the club’s control, in recent days the club has been the focus of attention for reasons other than sport.

“The incident that occurred at Henry Jones playing fields on Wednesday night was unsavoury; and the unnerving and disruptive effect that it brought to our members at training that night, and that it continues to bring to them and their families in the days that have followed, is unwelcome. Our members and their families are our club.

“As such, the club has and will continue to support its players, those effected by the events that have occurred, and their wider family circles however it can.

“Incidents of such a nature do not reflect or remain in keeping with the overwhelming support and goodwill that the club has received from all across the immediate and surrounding community since its formation.

“In keeping with this, members are further advised that the club has, since Wednesday, received further assurances that the actions carried out on Wednesday night do not define the entirety of the community nor any sphere of it.

“Condemnation of what occurred has been absolute across the board and from all spheres of the community. For this, the club is thankful.

“Members are further advised that the club has received assurances that it ought not have concerns of further occurrences of such a nature nor of further activities being carried out with the intention of inhibiting or interfering with the club’s and/or its member’s activities going forward.

“For now the club’s attention will continue to be to its members and it is requested that any attention on the club returns to what it ought be; attention on the playing fields and on the provision of sport, for all.”

Founding member Dave Mcgreevy (below), the former London footballer who also spent some time on the Down panel in recent times, was a guest on Ciaran Deely’s ‘Locker Room Podcast’ over the weekend, when he expanded on the formation of the club.

He spoke of the security alert, saying: “It was disappointing. But that’s an ongoing investigation that I cannot really comment on.

“I had a really nice email from a local MP, Gavin Robinson. He is a DUP man and said how terrible it was, condemning it. He issued a public statement condemning it.” He added: “It has been said to us, the PSNI passed it across to us, that there is no organisation that are upset with us.

“What we have done so far, with the crest, with the people turning up, the positivity we are bringing, this is to the benefit of the community. “They can see it for what it is, there is no issue at all.

“And from talking to the different organisations in East Belfast, some of them are saying that some of their kids went to University over in England and they made friends and started playing gaelic games. So they have nothing against us.”

Mcgreevy then went on to talk about the more positive elements of setting up Ulster’s youngest club and it appears they are going to go down their own route and employ very different methods.

“With ourselves, we were getting asked where this is going to go?,” he explained.

“So we were asking ourselves, ‘what does success look like?’ So we had thought what it was going to be.

“Say for example the guy starting corner back for the men’s football team, he played once or twice whenever he was younger, but he is basketball and rugby and he is absolutely smashing.

“There are a few people who have got in touch and said, ‘Look, I live in East Belfast, can I come in next year?’”

He continued: “I think a lot of GAA clubs have this problem that they value elitism over participation.

“And we have to be about participation.

“We have had this conversation early doors, saying we want to create a culture of the club working hard.

“But on reflection, that is elitism. So again, what does success look like?

“Do we want to be winning senior Championship after senior Championship? That would be amazing.

“But I was chatting to a fella from St Enda’s in Glengormley and their hurlers did quite well last year in winning the Ulster Intermediate title and got to play against Tommy Walsh’s club in the semi-final. And that’s class.

“St Enda’s have over 1,000 members through every code. Their facilities are absolutely amazing and they have a Bunscoil.

“To me, that’s what success looks like — providing the GAA to over 1,000 people in the community.”