Anxiety ahead of Robinson court appearance

August 1986

THE second week of August, 1986 was filled with deep anxiety in Dundalk over the due appearance of the D.U.P. leader, Peter Robinson at Dundalk District Court.

Mr. Robinson was before the court in relation to a matter in Ballybay and while the case was not due to proceed in Dundalk, tight security had to be mounted in the town for the court hearing.

The tense political situation in the country at the time was adding to the anxiety, especially since in the days before Mr. Robinson’s court appearance there were reports in the North that large numbers of Loyalists were being urged to attend the court in Dundalk by the D.U.P. leader, Dr. Ian Paisley to support Mr. Robinson.

Anxious traders who were told to close their businesses and have them boarded up were also told by Gardai at security meetings that hundreds of extra Gardai would be drafted into the town on the day and that the Army would be on standby.

The Gardai also made it known that no traffic would be allowed into the town centre on the day of the court, and that the public would be prevented from getting near to the courthouse.

No car parking was allowed along the main streets and Gardai let it be known that all cars en- tering the town would be searched for weapons.

Anxious traders met with the Chamber of Commerce to ensure that the authorities were taking every precaution to prevent trouble and while local politicians called on all Loyalists to be banned from entering the town, the Gardai indicted that they had no powers to stop people from entering the town centre.