Pyre sparked row over toxic material and risk to health of people living in the area
Controversial Village bonfire in Belfast
Allison Morris
Today at 01:00
The Northern Ireland Environment Agency has launched a criminal investigation into asbestos at a controversial bonfire in Belfast.
The land at Meridi Street, off the Donegall Road, belongs to a property development company based in Armagh.
The former factory site hit the headlines after Belfast City Council tried to have the pyre removed before the Eleventh Night.
At the time it was reported the landowner intended to remove the asbestos as soon as possible.
NIEA had said it understood they were due to arrange this in the week commencing July 16.
It said it would be “a highly specialised, complex and delicate operation that will require the site to be fully vacated”.
“Indeed, the work is of such complexity that the full removal will take a number of weeks,” NIEA added.
However, little progress appears to have been made since.
It was later reported work couldn’t begin until the site was secured, as the gates had been removed illegally.
The PSNI told the Belfast Telegraph there were no reports of any stolen gates, and when the site was visited this week all entrances appeared secure.
Now the saga has taken a new twist with the criminal investigation.
NIEA said: “The agency was first alerted to the issues around the bonfire on May 16, 2025.
“Responsibility for removing the asbestos primarily lies with the landowner.
“Given the circumstances, an enforcement investigation was initiated, and a direction was issued requiring the landowner to remove the asbestos waste.
“When it became clear that the circumstances did not allow for the safe and controlled removal of the asbestos prior to July 11, 2025, NIEA worked with the landowner and Belfast City Council to agree mitigating measures to reduce the risk to public health.”
DAERA said: “While the immediate focus for NIEA is on the efforts by the landowner to remove the asbestos pile safely from the site, it should be noted that as NIEA has initiated a criminal investigation into this matter, the agency is unable to comment further on the specifics of this site”.
The landowner, Boron Developments, was contacted for comment.
A spokesperson for the company told the BBC they are “not aware” of any new criminal investigation in relation to the asbestos on the site.
They added they were in “weekly contact” with the NIEA and Belfast City Council and had reported the removal of gates to an entrance on the site to the police as they said they “could not secure the site until this entrance was blocked”.
The spokesperson also said the contractors who will remove the asbestos will be taking “full control” of the site and the process is due to be completed by September.
Agriculture and Environment Minister Andrew Muir said the NEA “rightly considers this very seriously and will be doing all that they can in regards to it because this is an issue of concern and the officials in my department are working studiously in regards to it”.
DUP MLA Edwin Poots said local politicians had been pressing for action.
“I welcome all works that the Northern Ireland Environment Agency will do to ensure that the landowners meet their obligations and responsibilities, and have whatever asbestos is on this site removed as soon as possible,” he said.
Asbestos was found in five different locations at the site.
The bonfire was declared a major incident and a tactical coordination group was set up to discuss options to minimise its risk.
Despite appeals from politicians and health professionals about the dangers, the bonfire went ahead, albeit with a much smaller crowd than originally expected.
Signage was erected along with double fencing around the affected area warning of hazardous material. That signage remains in place.
Tonnes of asbestos-contaminated rubble had already been removed from the area after the demolition of the old factory building.
The remaining asbestos is thought to have been there for years.
KEVIN LYNCH, aged 25, was born in Park, north Derry, on 25
May 1956.
Kevin, an INLA Volunteer, was arrested in December 1976
and charged with conspiracy to obtain arms. He received a ten-year sentence in
December 1977.
Kevin excelled at Gaelic games and had captained the
under-16 Derry team which won an all-Ireland hurling trophy in 1972.
He stood
as a H-Block/Armagh candidate in the Waterford constituency during the June
1981 general election in the South and polled extremely well despite missing
out on election.
He spent 71 days on hunger strike from 23 May 1981. He
died on 1 August 1981.
Kevin Lynch laid to rest in Dungiven
THE death of INLA Volunteer Kevin Lynch after 71 days on
hunger strike occurred on 1 August 1981. It was followed the next day by that
of IRA Volunteer Kieran Doherty.
They were the seventh and eighth men to die on the fast.
Kevin had been lapsing into frequent periods of
unconsciousness in the last four days, having already lost his sight, hearing
and speech. His family were at his bedside throughout the final days until he
died in the early hours of Saturday morning.
His funeral took place the following Monday in his home
town of Dungiven in County Derry. Between the return of his body to his home
and the removal for Requiem Mass on Monday afternoon, a constant stream of
mourners queued outside to pay their respects. The road was decorated with
Tricolours and black flags, along with posters of Kevin Lynch.
The RUC and the Ulster Defence Regiment made every effort
to disrupt the funeral, holding up cars and forcing buses to park outside of
town so that the passengers would have to make their way on foot. Ulsterbus in
Belfast cancelled bookings at the last minute. Nevertheless, mourners came in
convoys of cars and black taxis.
At mid-day, the coffin, bearing the Tricolour, Starry
Plough, gloves and beret, was carried to the nearby church. The procession was
led by a lone piper, followed by the Lynch family, relatives of other Hunger
Strikers, and senior representatives of the IRSP and the broad republican
movement, along with the National H-Block/Armagh Committee.
Five British Army helicopters flew overhead as the coffin
entered the church grounds. Applause broke out momentarily as an 18-strong INLA
guard of honour marched up to escort the coffin to the church door.
The priest
who celebrated the Mass, Fr John Quinn, expressed outrage later when the INLA
Volunteers escorting the coffin fired three volleys after it had left the
church. So enraged was he that he refused to wear his vestments at the
graveside.
This same priest had failed to refer to the suffering of the Hunger
Strikers themselves and failed to condemn British intransigence. He tried to
imply that the family had been opposed to the military funeral – an opinion
later refuted by family members, who criticised the press and those who had
made unsolicited comments on their behalf.
At the graveside, the piper played
I’ll Wear No Convict’s Uniform. The Last Post was also played and wreaths were
laid, including from both the INLA and IRA Army Councils.
• A lone piper leads the cortege; (below) The funeral of
Kevin Lynch makes its way through Dungiven
A uniformed INLA Volunteer then read a statement on
behalf of the INLA Army Council, stating regret at Kevin’s death and applauding
his heroism.
“Kevin Lynch has made the greatest sacrifice, and he has done it
in the face of the repressive machinery of British imperialism and in the wake
of the greatest gesture of defiance against those who control the prisons and
those who rule and ravage our country,” he said.
A short oration was given by Councillor Seán Flynn from
Belfast, Vice-Chair of the IRSP:
“Kevin epitomised all that is good in a young Irishman.
Playing our national sports of hurling and football, he excelled at both and in
1972 captained his native county to win an All-Ireland medal at hurling.”
He went on to contrast Lynch’s Gaelic spirit with the
performance of the Gaelic Athletic Association leadership off the field.
“Yesterday, the Derry County Board and South Antrim
County Board asked for a minute’s silence before the All-Ireland Hurling
Semi-Final between Limerick and Galway. It was no surprise to me when Croke
Park refused. President Mac Floinn last week declared that no clubs, grounds or
units were to be used for H-Block activity as it contravenes Rule 7.”
He added that work would be done to encourage support for
the prisoners’ ‘Five Demands’ amongst the GAA.
Of Kevin’s courage and determination, Seán said:
“It must be remembered that if Kevin had conformed to the
British authority he would be a free man today; but to Kevin, Kieran Doherty,
Patsy O’Hara, Bobby Sands, Francis Hughes, Raymond McCreesh, Joe McDonnell,
Martin Hurson and the continuing Hunger Strikers, they knew if the political
prisoners were criminalised then the British Government would attempt to
criminalise the struggle on the outside.”
He added that Kevin Lynch knew the consequences of going
on hunger strike.
“Deprived of every other means of defending his political
integrity, he defended it with his life. Those who imply that he might have
been ordered to do so, or could be ordered to cease to do so, fail to
understand the depths or the personal integrity – the individual courage and
the dedication to the principles he believed in – that made Kevin Lynch the
person he was.”
A jewel in Ireland’s Ancient East trail, the tomb of Newgrange, in County Meath. iStock
This time-lapse video from Tourism Ireland unearths some of the historical wonders from the east coast of Ireland.
The short film “Dawn to Dusk in Ireland’s Ancient East” gives viewers the chance to experience Ireland’s most beautiful historical locations in a fascinating way.
Tourism Ireland launched the video in 2017 to promote Ireland’s Ancient East, a spectacular touring route throughout the Irish east coast.
Ireland’s Ancient East route takes visitors on a journey through three significant parts of Irish history – the Land of 5,000 Dawns, the Historic Heartlands, and the Celtic Coast.
The adventure through The Land of 5,000 Dawns will bring you up to the northeast of the country to counties Cavan, Longford, Louth, Meath, Monaghan, and Westmeath. Here, visitors can marvel at archaeological sites like Newgrange, Cooley Peninsula, and Belvedere House.
Further down the country, visitors will find the Historic Heartlands in counties Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Limerick, and Tipperary. This journey through history allows visitors to experience some of Ireland’s ancient medieval sites like Clonmacnoise, Castletown House, Kilkenny Castle, Rock of Cashel, and the Rock of Dunamase.
Finally, as visitors travel along, they will encounter Ireland’s Celtic Coast in counties Cork, Waterford, Wexford, and Wicklow. This part of the country takes in its famous coastline with cliffs, harbors, and famous towns all steeped in history. Glendalough and Hook Head as well as Cobh and Waterford City are all part of the Celtic Coast.
Each historic part on the new route shows a different part of Ireland’s past, from myths and legends to tombs and sacred settlements, Ireland’s Ancient East has a lot to tell.
Are you planning a vacation in Ireland? Looking for advice or want to share some great memories? Join our Irish travel Facebook group.
Newgrange
4
Newgrange. (Ireland’s Content Pool)
Newgrange is a Stone Age monument from the Neolithic Era and forms part of the Land of 5,000 Dawns. It is located in Boyne Valley, Co Meath. Built over 5,000 years ago, this ancient passage tomb stands as one of the world’s oldest of its kind and predates both Stonehenge in England and the ancient pyramids of Egypt.
Every year, a lucky few make the pilgrimage to Newgrange for the winter solstice on December 21. For a short period of time the passage through the tomb is illuminated by the rising sun showcasing its amazing interior.
Rock of Cashel
4
The Rock of Cashel. (Getty Images)
This historic Middle Age archaeological site is part of the historic heartlands. It is located at Cashel in Co Tipperary and was founded in the 12th Century. The Rock of Cashel was once home to the Kings of Munster for hundreds of years while also being the site of many massacres. Now this site welcomes thousands of visitors each year.
Glendalough
4
Glendalough. (Ireland’s Content Pool)
Glendalough, a glacial valley in Co Wicklow’s Wicklow Mountains National Park, is one of the main highlights of the Celtic Coast part of the new route. Its name is derived from the Irish term Gleann Dá Loch, meaning Valley of the Two Lakes.
This site is home to an Early Medieval settlement founded by St Kevin during the sixth century. St Kevin was in search of a place of solitude and peace when he happened upon this picturesque area. Glendalough was a very important monastic settlement during this time boasting churches, a cathedral, and a round tower which visitors can still see standing today.
The East Coast of Ireland has some of the most beautiful landmarks that are steeped in history that are all showcased in Ireland’s Ancient East route.
Live All-Ireland football final: Kerry v Donegal updates
Kerry 1-26 Donegal 0-19
Kerry claim 39th All-Ireland title
David Clifford top scorer with 0-09
17:40″We wanted to right wrongs,” Joe O’Connor says pitchside.David Clifford, joined by his son Ogie, is also alongside the panel”We’d be massively proud of how we came back after the Meath game,” the Fossa man says.”The first half we couldn’t have gone that much better…they got it back to four and put pressure on the kickouts…today probably was our best performance.”
Immigration protesters shoulder to shoulder with loyalist killer
Far-right activists accompanied Glen Kane to court hours before demonstration in Newtownabbey.
Glen Kane and his friends after his court appearance
John Toner
Today at 02:27
Far-right activists took part in an anti-immigration protest outside a Co Antrim hotel just hours after accompanying loyalist killer Glen Kane to court.
Among those involved in the demonstration at the Chimney Corner hotel in Newtownabbey was convicted armed robber Mark Sinclair, who goes by ‘Freedom Dad’ online, and conspiracy theorist Stephen Baker.
Kane, who was jailed for nine years for being part of a mob which kicked to death Catholic man Kieran Abram in 1992, posed for pictures with the group outside Laganside court complex in Belfast ahead of the protest.
Speaking in a short video circulated on social media, standing alongside masked men, he said: “That’s me up in court again today. There are ongoing enquiries into me and I’m back up on the 14th of August.”
Later that evening, Baker and Sinclair were prominent during the protest outside the Chimney Corner hotel in which several dozen people blocked the Antrim Road while waving placards and holding an anti-immigration banner.
Ex-UVF thug Mark Sinclair is the cousin of William Moore, a notorious murderer and member of the Shankill Butchers.
His pal Stephen Baker was a prominent anti-vaxxer and anti-lockdown protester during the Covid-19 pandemic and was convicted of breaching coronavirus regulations in 2021.
Baker, who is a gardener by trade, has now switched his attention to anti-immigration agitation.
Posting a video on a Facebook account called The Great Province-Wide Protest NI, he said: “Now folks I am calling for a protest at Chimney Corner, if yous want to keep them off your streets yous need to stand in front of their houses to stop them leaving.
“This is how we do it folks, we are quite within our right to go to this habitation of these dangerous men and petition against them being here. We want them gone and we want redress for our grievances.”
Earlier on Thursday, Glen Kane’s lawyer was warned that an argument to dismiss a charge of inciting racial hatred was “not likely to succeed”.
Kane, from Riga Street in Belfast, is on bail facing a charge of possessing material with intent to stir up racial hatred on August 10 last year.
With the case set to be heard in September, his defence team lodged an application for the case to be thrown out, citing an abuse of process.
However, District Judge Francis Rafferty told Kane’s solicitor: “For what it’s worth, from what information I have, (the abuse of process motion) is not likely to succeed.”
Kane’s lawyer Keith Gamble said the author of the written material had been interviewed by police and was likely to be prosecuted as well, adding: “It might seem strange.. we might want the author of the tract to come to court.”
Judge Rafferty adjourned the matter until September, saying: “It’s not for me to direct how the defence approach the case, but you may take your chance.”
The court previously heard police searched Kane’s home last August under a warrant and seized several items.
These included UVF badges, a Britain First key-tag, UVF and LVF flags, a UVF picture, a British National Party DVD, two Britain First hats, a UFF snood and about 100 copies of a publication.
The publication allegedly referenced the UK’s “immigration crisis”, but further details of its contents have not yet been aired in court.
Kane said during a recent YouTube interview: “I’m not far right, I’m not a racist.”
Some of the same far-right protesters involved in the Chimney Corner hotel demonstration also picketed a Coptic Christian church on Belfast’s Shankill Road last weekend.
Racist, anti-Islamic graffiti was daubed on the Berlin Street premises by thugs unaware Coptic Christians are not Muslims.
