ORANGE RIOT AT LURGAN

A wanton attack on the Catholic people of Edward Street, Lurgan, took place at a late hour, on the night of October 22, and injuries of a very severe nature were inflicted in a large number of cases.

The affair had its origin in a football match which was played on the, ground of the Celtic Football Club a week before between that team, which is exclusively Catholic and anothcr local club which is composed of Protestants. The match was an extremely rough one, Celtic ultimately being victorious. Glenavon - the Protestant team - was playing in Portadown, and returned shortly before six o'clock on cars and brakes through Edward Street, singing 'Rule Brittania' and using party expressions, but no opposition was shown.

About half-past ten o'clock a man named M'Geown, when passing Hill Street which runs into Edward Street and is exclusively Protestant, was struck a violent blow on the back with a large stone which came from a crowd in Hill Street. Missiles of every description were flying into Edward Street. Amidst the crashing of glass in the Catholic houses and the continuous party cries of the Orangemen could be heard the sharp reports of revolver fire.

District-Inspector Mahony at once ordered the police to draw their batons and a charge was made to drive the crowd up Hill Street. Hardly one of the policemen escaped without injury. Nothing to equal the scene has been witnesses since 1886. The rioting continued without intermission up to 1.30 am but the large force of police remained on duty all through the night. Windows in Catholic houses are shattered, and Edward Street was, fairly littered with broken bottles and large sharp metalling stones. Extra police were drafted into Edward Street Barracks to cope with any recurrence of the disturbances.

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