Ballymena teens 'an example to politicians'

Tony Blair today told Catholic and Protestant teenagers brought together by the sectarian murder of Michael McIlveen that they had set an example which should be followed by the North's politicians.

Michael, 15, was beaten to death with a baseball bat after he was chased and cornered by a gang in his home town of Ballymena, Co Antrim, last month.

The savage killing prompted a Ballymena Academy pupil to write to No. 10 to request an audience with Tony Blair during his next visit to the province.

Peter Coulter, 17, wrote: “Ballymena teenagers want something positive to come out of Michael’s death and speaking to the Prime Minister could really help relieve tensions in the area.”

Ahead of talks with political leaders, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Mr Blair held a private meeting with 30 students from Ballymena schools, including St Patrick’s College where Michael was a pupil.

The murder on May 7 has heightened demands for community and political leaders to intensify their efforts to stop another cycle of violence in the province.

During the 50-minute private meeting in the Long Gallery at Stormont, Mr Ahern and Mr Blair heard how nine schools had come together to form Ballymena Learning Together in the aftermath of the tragedy.

The group has already received funding from the Irish and British governments to support its work in combating sectarianism.

Peter, who is joint secretary of the Ballymena Academy Economics and Politics Society, said both leaders had been impressed by the work being carried out by pupils in the town.

The teenager said: “The Prime Minister said we were setting a good example and told us politicians should follow suit.”