Write a commentFollowing a consultation process by Newry and Mourne District Council in December the council tonight has made the decision to retain the name Raymond McCreesh Park.
Commenting on the decision by the Council to retain the name, Sinn Féin Councillor Liz Kimmins stated "Myself and my council colleagues carefully considered each individual response to the consultation on the review of the naming of Raymond McCreesh park. We acknowledge once again that not everyone will be content with the decision made tonight. This was always going to be the case whichever way it turned out".
The Councillor continued "We do respect the views of those in opposition to the naming of the park, however 2001 when the park was first named, there was unanimous support shown by the local community for this play park to be named after the hunger striker, Raymond McCreesh. The latest consultation (2015) confirms that support continues to exist as 94.6% of respondents to the consultation stated they had no problem with the name of Raymond Mc Creesh Park".
Sinn Féin's Mickey Brady also welcomed the decision "Sinn Féin and the vast majority of people believe that the name of the Raymond McCreesh Park in Newry should remain unchanged.
"The Park was named in 2001 after Council procedure was fully followed and surveys taken by the Council indicated a clear support for the Raymond McCreesh name, (84% support)
"The most recent consultation once again reflected that same support (94% support)
"From the naming of the park in 2001 until 2008 there were no issues, complaints or problems raised regarding the park’s name. In 2008 the Newry District Loyal Orange Lodge, which is not located in the vicinity of the park, made a complaint.
"That complaint was investigated by the council and it found, after much deliberation, that the name should be retained. Since then there has been a very focused and nasty campaign to demonise this area and its community who avail of the amenities.
"Those who would say that the local community and all others who supported the naming of this Park after Raymond McCreesh had displayed a lack of respect and tolerance towards the feelings of the unionist community know very little about the close knit Ballybot community and its history of neighbourliness and friendliness. Sinn Féin reject this slander on both our elected representatives and those we represent"
"Raymond McCreesh, Bobby Sands and all those who died on Hunger Strike in 1981 are recogonised throughout the world. When he died in 1981 the late Cardinal O Fiach stated, 'Raymond McCreesh was captured bearing arms at the age of 19 and sentenced to 14 years imprisonment. I have no doubt that he would have never seen the inside of a jail but for the abnormal political situation. Who is entitled to label him a murderer or a suicide?'
"Those words ring as true today almost 34 years on from those dark times.Raymond Mc Creesh and the Hunger Strikers were not criminals then, they are not criminals now and we will not allow their names and memories to be criminalised. Raymond Mc Creesh is not a criminal, not then, not now, not ever”.
