Streets are silent as Holy Cross girls go back to school

THE girls of Holy Cross primary in north Belfast enjoyed a peaceful walk on their first day back to school yesterday.

In stark contrast to the disgraceful scenes last year when children were subjected to a daily barrage of insults and missiles from loyalists, the streets were silent.

About a dozen police officers watched as the parents walked their children along the disputed Ardoyne Road to the gates of the school.

Loyalist residents who object to the Catholic children using a route through their area had decided against re-newing the protest after the intervention of protestant paramilitary leaders.

But while the atmosphere was relatively relaxed, strong police and Army re-inforcements in full riot gear were on stand-by not far away in precaution.

Geraldine Murphy who was taking her six-year-old daughter Natasha for the start of her second year said: “We were nervous as we always are walking along this stretch of road, but thank goodness we have got in safely and hopefully it will stay this way.”

Following a summer of almost constant violence in the area, orchestrated by both the IRA and loyalist terrorists, it had been feared the return to school would spark off more riots.

Police sources say that the temporary truce between Loyalist and Republican paramilitaries is fragile and both sides are watching the other very carefully.

One officer said: “When a protestant youth was shot and injured in July, that incident was swiftly followed by the murder of an innocent Catholic man and the same could happen again.

“One insignificant incident could spark off the trouble and we could very easily see the school protest begin again.”

Former Belfast Lord Mayor Alban McGuinness of the SDLP said: “It was a sunny day for a change and hopefully the sunshine will reflect a change in attitudes.”

Numbers at Holy Cross have dropped by a third with many parents not wishing to subject their children to risk for another year and a proposed “peace wall” along the route from the nationalist area to the school could result in its permanent closure.

Martin Malley, who left his 10-year-old daughter Mary to school, said: “This is a very important year because she will be doing her 11 plus and we just hope that there will be no trouble to distract her from her studies.

“A good education is important to help kids better themselves and maybe get out of here.

“Holy Cross is a good and caring school and we just hope that the teachers will be able to get on with teaching in peace.”