Wexfordplacedon firebombalert

December 1992

Wexford shopkeepers were placed on a major alert in the run up to Christmaas in the wake of a threat by a Northern Ireland paramilitary group to plant incendiary devices in the Republic.

The Christmas warning issued by the Ulster Freedom Fighters was taken very seriously in Wexford, where gardai made personal calls on all business owners during the past week.

Crime prevention officers carried out shop-toshop visits advising people to be extra vigilant during the Christmas rush, following the discovery last week of fire bombs in department stores in both Dublin and Dundalk.

‘In view of past performances, these claims are taken more seriously at Christmas time,’ said Wexford Garda Superintendent Noel Casey, who stressed there was no reason for Wexford shop owners to feel complacent.

‘ This is a real live one,’ he said. ‘You cannot feel safe just because you’re 200 miles from Belfast.’

The Superintendent pointed out that garda stations throughout the country were alerted following the UFF fire bombs claim which was communicated to the BBC earlier this month.

The paramilitary operation claimed that the action was in retaliation for the Republic’s interference in the affairs of Northern Ireland.

In view of the seriousness of the threat, Wexford gardai decided to leave nothing to chance and cautioned all shop owners individually.

‘ The message we had to get out was for people to put their own security into operation,’ said the Superintendent. ‘I would say that most people were glad of the advice.’

All public premises in Wexford were handed a list of special guidelines on the prevention of incendiary attacks, including advice on spot checks and searches, and how and what to do if they spot a suspicious object. December meeting last week. Consultants are to give their final recommendation at the first meeting of the new year, after which, Councillors will vote on the location.

Both communities have pledged to fight County Hall if their area is the one selected for the superdump, which would occupy 100 acres and take all the county’s rubbish for the next 20 years.

The Barntown area is particularly anxious. Despite soothing noises from County Hall, there are many within the parish who feel that the consultation was just a paper exercise and that Holmestown will be put forward as the preferred site, having been earmarked by county officials several years ago. Certainly, more than a year ago, the area was mentioned in council meetings by Cllr Lorcan Allen, among others, as a probable location for the superdump.

‘We won’t be at all surprised if Holmestown comes up as the top choice. In fact, we’re expecting it,’ said one local resident.

Whatever location is put forward as the preferred site, councillors then face a tough choice, with voting likely to come down to geographical decisions as much as anything else. Those in the Wexford district will be likely to vote for Camolin, while those in the Gorey district will probably opt for Barntown.

Whatever decision is taken, residents in the relevant area will have the option of taking action in the courts and possibly even in Europe, so the saga may have a long way to go yet. been produced by Barry his brother Bobby’s independent television company KUZ TV, which they established about a year ago.

It was filmed in and around Wexford in such places as Pettitt’s supermarket and the Whitford House Hotel, and also outside Ardcavan Motors, where real life farce intervened when there was an unscripted car crash into the parked bus they were using!

Barry and Bobby wrote the show themselves and approached RTE, who were so enthusiastic that they also drafted in two seasoned comedy writers from Britain and four Irish writers to work with Barry on a six-part series.

One of the British writers had worked on the Monty Python show, The Two Ronnies, and with Kenny Everett, and the other had done The 11 O’Clock Show. Two of the Irish writers are from the Bull Island team. They spent three days brainstorming in White’s Hotel and met one day a week for several weeks thereafter, to get all material down on paper.

The Wexford brothers are looking forward to the upcoming screening of the first episode in the prime Friday night slot, and are keeping their fingers crossed that it will go down well with television audiences.

‘ The Reel O’Neill’ could turn out to be a big break for the Wexford comedian, who has most recently been working on the cabaret circuit in Ireland and Blackpool, and who is also wellknown locally for his children’s comedy shows.