SECURITY fencing erected at Holy Cross Church during the height of the Troubles is being removed this week.
The fencing on the Woodvale Road side of the Ardoyne church was erected in the early 1970s and then extended in 2001 at the time of tensions in the area due to the Holy Cross dispute.
Its dismantling comes 25 years to the week since the Holy Cross protests exploded when loyalists attempted to stop school children from walking past the predominantly Protestant Glenbryn area to Holy Cross Girls' School each morning.
The blockade began towards the end of the academic year in June when a group of loyalists stood at the entrance of the girls’ school, but escalated in September when the new school term began. Bottles, stones and urine-filled projectiles were among the items thrown by loyalist protestors towards children and their parents.
The blockade was eventually lifted after three months. It was during this time that the security fencing was erected at the church.
Speaking to the North Belfast News, Rector of Holy Cross, Fr Charles Cook, welcomed the removal of the security fencing.
"When I arrived here, the whole process had started around trying to make the walls pointed and together. There was a need to make it more normal," he said.
WELCOME: Fr Charles Cook
"I think it is important that the fencing is removed. It is important to trust each other and think we can live like human beings which is the most basic thing of all.
"It is great for the area to see it removed. The first part of the job is to take down the fencing, followed by the ivy and then get the walls pointed.
"The fencing has been up since the 1970s. It was erected to protect the monastery. It has been a long time coming down."
A spokesperson for the Department of Justice said: “As part of the DoJ-led ‘Together; building a united community (T:buc)’ Interfaces Programme, the Department has been working closely with residents, local community representatives and Holy Cross Church to secure the removal of the existing interface security fencing on the Woodvale Road side of the church’s grounds.
“Work on the removal is due to be completed this week. It is expected that this will improve the overall look of the surrounding area.”
