07/02/98 - 07/16/98
In two weeks of massive violence at least 144 Catholic homes have ben fire bombed and another 155 buildings owned by Catholics. In addition, a Protestant man was beaten, and he and his family forced from their home by a loyalist gang because his wife has Catholic friends and refused to donate money to a fund to further the intimidation of Catholic Residents on the Garvaghy Rd.

07/02/98
Ten Catholic churches were attacked by loyalists arsonists. One of the churches destroyed in the fires was 200 year old St James

07/03/98
A 11th church,St James Church, burned.

07/04/98
A Catholic family in Antrim escaped their burning home which had been set alite by petrol bombs. Also a Hostel for the homeless had to be evacuated when it was attacked by a loyalist mob. I find this particularly disturbing as the hostels are where those driven from there homes by loyalist violence stay while awaiting re- housing.

07/05/98
An Orange Order march violated the parades commission code of conduct by joyfully re enacting the brutal murder of Portadown Catholic Robert Hamill. A 2nd illegal march was held by the OO that night "free from sectarian harassment" (GRRC)

07/06/98
North Belfast Catholics were targeted with attacks on their homes with brick, bars and in at least one case, petrol bombs. The elderly couple who home was bombed were evacuated from the area. Holy Cross Boys School was also damaged.

07/07/98
Loyalists attacked homes in Catholic districts in Lurgan with Petrol and blast bombs. One man was hospitalized with heart problems following the bombing of his home. Neighbors pulled a young couple and their infant from a burning home. Later in the evening loyalist gunmen opened fire on two students but neither was hit.

07/07/98
Loyalist gangs sealed off the North Belfast Ligoniel estate by blocking the roads leading in and of the area with trees which they cut for the purpose and placing gangs armed with clubs to guard the exits. Shots were fired, but no one injured. Immediately after the gunfire known members of the LVF were spotted in the area.

07/10/98
A convoy of cars carrying food, toys, and medical supplies to the besieged residents of the Garvaghy Rd was attacked by approximately 20 loyalists with bricks and clubs. Three women were injured but none of the injuries were serious.

07/10/98
Three Catholic men were injured by gunfire while trying to protest the homes of pensioners and their local chapel, St Mark's. At approximately 3 am a loyalist mob marched through Ligoniel, a North Belfast neighborhood shouting for Catholics to get out before they burned them out. Local residents assembled to protect the homes of elderly Catholics and the Catholic chapel. Loyalist gunmen opened fire and fled.

07/10/98
Attacks on Catholic homes and businesses raged for seven hours in the Co. Down town of Kilkeel. The Riverside Bar suffered major damages as a result of fire bombing

07/12/98
At approximately 4:30 am loyalists fire bombed a Ballymoney home. Three young children were burned alive. Among the screams heard by neighbors was one of the boys screaming that his feet were on fire. Their Mother a Catholic had tried to stay up all night, fearing attacks after the ritual bon fire building on the 11th but had fallen asleep an hour before. Ironically their mother had been raising them as Protestants in an attempt to assimilate.

07/12/98
members of a loyalist band set fires in Newtownhamilton, threatening to burn the residents out.

07/13/98
Orange marchers celebrated the deaths of 3 young boys who had been burned to death in their beds because their Mother was a Catholic. As they marched down the Catholic Crumlin Rd in Belfast they chanted "3 nil" and f*** your children".

07/15/98
Shots fired at GAA club in Hilltown

07/19/98 - 07/19/98
Illegal demonstrations were held near the homes of Portadown catholics in which residents were physically and verbally attacked.

07/24/98
Catholic homes on Craigwell avenue ( Portadown) had bottles and stones thrown at them, as well as death threats by yet another pro Orange order demonstration. RUC were present but did not interfere with the loyalist attacks. Customers leaving a Catholic pub on Woodhouse street were attacked by a loyalist mob wielding baseball bats and at least on machete. Several of the injured required hospital treatment

07/26/98
Masked gunmen attacked two Catholic men in their Waterside home. Waterside is a mixed ( Protestant and Catholic) estate in Derry. Francis Creane, age 58, was shot in the leg and ducked narrowly missing a shot to the temple. His Brother Andrew was critically injured with 3 bullets in the legs and groin and had to resuscitated at the local hospital. Neither of the men were politically active and there appears to be no motive for the shootings other than the fact that these men were Catholics living in a mixed estate.

07/30/98
A ten year old child was injured when a 300+ strong loyalist mob attacked the residents of the Garvaghy rd with bricks and bottles.

07/98
Loyalist distributed a leaflet with the picture of The spokesman for the Garvaghy Rd Residents Coalition, Brendan MacCionnaith. "The Man Without a Future", was written below the picture.

Also In July:
A loyalist gunman opened fire on Catholics attempting to go to Mass in Bushmills Co Antrim, and a bus returning from Long Kesh was attacked. A year Of Loyalist attacks AP/RM_news Approximately 30 illegal marches were held in Portadown in the 2 weeks following the Drumcree March. A number of Catholics were forced to evacuate their homes as a result of continued loyalist attacks, including the use of blast bombs. Orangemen and their supporters held illegal assemblies throughout the month, the security forces did nothing to prevent these assemblies. The assemblies were frequently accompanied by gun and bomb attacks and rioting. The entrances to the Catholic areas were blockaded by loyalists preventing Catholics from leaving the area for work, shopping etc. "free from sectarian harassment" (GRRC) A guest house owned by Carrickfergus Catholics was petrol bombed, 14 families fled there homes after petrol bombs in Carrickfergus, 2 more in nearby Greenisland and 5 in Antrim town, 10 petrol bombs were thrown at an integrated school in Whitehead Co Antrim and an arson attempt was made on the towns Catholic school

08/05/98
Windows smashed out of pensioners home in Cliftondene Crescent.

08/08/98 - 08/09/98
2 children attacked by 10 loyalists, Old Park rd. Homes attacked near Lower Ormeau Road

08/15/98
A crowd of loyalists attacked Nationalist band members on their way to an AOH parade, in a Nationalist area. The RUC joined in the attack. A 14 year old girl was injured. Also over 1,000 Loyalists gathered near Park and Garvaghy Rds and another several 100 blocked off Craigwell Ave. Catholic homes were again attacked by loyalists.

08/29/98
200 hundred loyalists shouting "Fenians ( Catholics) Out, this is Ulster" attacked shoppers in a Portadown mall. A female relative of Robert Hamill, who was with him when he was attacked and beaten to death by loyalists was herself beaten badly enough to be admitted to a local hospital as the loyalists chanted " Hamill, Hamill".

08/98
The RUC warned Sinn fein Councilor Paddy McGreevy that they have received death threats against him from loyalists but would not divulge which loyalist group had made the threats.

08/98
The Star of the Sea youth club was attacked again,homes on the lower Ormeau Road were attacked and children were attacked in Oldpark. Illegal Orange demonstrations and attacks on Catholic homes continue throughout the month.

09/03/98
Loyalists bomb two shops owned by Catholics in Portadown.

09/05/98
A mob of over 500 loyalists carrying signs "No Taigs In Portadown" attacked Nationalists in a Portadown car park, with bricks bottles and fireworks. Two Catholic businesses were set alight by arsonists. One of the businesses was burned to the ground. The mobs also attacked a third Catholic owned business but the staff quickly closed the metal shutters preventing serious damage or injuries. A fake bomb was placed on woodhouse street, and a boy of 10 required hospital treatment after loyalist attacks. Also 2 members of the RUC were injured by a blast bomb. A Catholic RUC man was fatally injured by a bomb blast ( One of the 2 mentioned injured above.

09/09/98
A 22 year old Mother of two has decided to leave her New Lodge home and relocate after receiving a bullet in the post.

09/18/98
N Belfast home attacked by arsonists, cars vandalized, windows broken.

09/22/98
N.Belfast homes attacked.

09/26/98
Five RUC men suffered minor injuries in clashes with Orange Protesters.

09/98
A Fermanagh primary school was picketed to protest the hiring of two Catholic women as cooks, arson attack in Whitewell area of N. Belfast, N.Belfast cars were vandalised and homes attacked.

09/28/98
approx 1,500 Orangemen marched in downtown Portadown. At a rally afterwards Robert Saulters OO Grand master called for the leader of the Garvaghy Rd residents committee, to be taken out". ( As a personal note - the author of this list was present at this march, and heard a number of threats made by Orange supporters on the life of Brendan Mac Cionath, the leader of the residents coalition. In addition I was personally threatened, after being informed that Portadown was " Protestant town" and Catholics didn't belong there any way.) Orange protests continued through out the month.

10/06/98
RUC Constable Frankie O'Reilly died from injuries sustained in the bomb attack Sept, 5.

10/12/98
Loyalists poured petrol through the mail slot of one home and ignited it. The family was forced to stay in a hostel to await re housing. Loyalist arsonists started another fire on the front porch of a second home.

10/98
The home of a Coleraine family was fire bombed. The attack is believed to have been motivated by the fact that the family attacked was Catholic, and had moved into a mainly Protestant area.

10/31/98
Brian Service murdered by loyalist Gunmen. RHD claimed credit.

10/98

West Belfast bar attacked. Abduction attempt. Orange protests continue in Portadown for the 4th month.

11/05/98
A North Belfast man had 28 stitches in his face after a knife attack by a loyalist who fled into the Shankhill Rd area. A Catholic man reported his escape from a loyalist murder bid after having been lured into a car thinking it was a taxi.

11/09/98
Ball bearings and missiles fired at homes in Belfast's New Lodge area.

11/10/98
Two men were attacked by loyalists with hammers on the Falls Road ( W. Belfast). One safely made it to their vehicle. The other was struck twice on the arm with a hammer. The group of loyalists then began breaking windows in the Broadway area. Approximately 10 homes were attacked. A car was also vandalized.

11/16/98
Four Catholic Families were attacked in the New Lodge area of West Belfast by loyalists. Large ball bearings were fired through the windows of Catholic homes, one woman was injured. It is not known what type of weapon was used to fire the balls Loyalists also attacked 11 homes and a Catholic church in a Catholic West Belfast neighborhood. Two of the homes attacked were lived in by disabled people. The home of the local priest was also attacked.

11/26/98
100's of loyalists gathered near the Garvaghy Rd. A young couple was attacked in the mans car by a mob of 80 - 90 Loyalists.

11/28/98
The parades Commission approved a pro Drumcree March from Portadown town centra to Drumcree via Charles St and Dungannon Road. A number of residents fled their homes but those remaining suffered loyalist abuse. That night loyalists with bats and clubs attacked people leaving a charity fund raiser at ST Patrick's Social hall. One man was hospitalized. A number of the attackers were still dressed in their band uniforms from the march earlier in the day.

11/98
Loyalist gun attack on Falls rd., homes and cars attacked in W. Belfast Lurgan workers intimidated. orange protests in Portadown are now in their 5th month.

12/03/98
Over 1,000 Orangemen and supporters carried out an attack lasting 4 1/2 hours which included attacking a Catholic owned gas station, felling telephone poles and hi jacking a lorry. A single plastic bullet was fired by the RUC in response.

12/07/98
Orangemen conduct yet another illegal march. RUC fail to act to prevent them again.

12/10/98
1,000's of Orangemen and supporters create disturbances lasting over 3 hours and attempt to block Dungannon Rd.

12/11/98
Attempted murder of N.Belfast woman.

12/12/98 - 12/13/98
Approximately 15 loyalists attacked Catholic patrons of The Railway bar Larne with clubs.
* Also this weekend the car of a man who had been ordered by the UVF to leave Larne was destroyed. A number of the victims relatives had already been forced out of Larne by Loyalists.

12/19/98
* An Orange Order parade, accompanied by a colour party of the UVF ( a loyalist death squad known for randomly targeting and killing Catholics) halted its march outside of St John the Baptists Catholic Church to sing sectarian songs and shout abuse.
* A Catholic owned taxi business was forced to close for the day and a number of Catholics fled their homes.
* A Catholic woman was attacked by men wearing Orange Sashes.
* The patrons of a Catholic bar on Woodhouse St were attacked. When the RUC arrived they joined the loyalist attackers. At least 7 injured , one hospitalized.
* Also in Dec. Catholic man loses spleen after East Belfast knife attack.

December 1998

* Loyalist photograph home of Republican, West Belfast.
* Teenager attacked, Waterside, Derry.
* Catholics attacked in Antiville estate, Larne.
* Gun and bomb attack, Knockloughrim, County Derry.
* Gun attack on two men in Belfast., East Belfast.
*