Consultation on new Easter Rising memorial for Carnlough

The local authority’s cross-party Equality Working Group agreed to the move after a previous unofficial structure, which had been erected without planning permission, was removed from land at Hurry Head in Carnlough in June.

Unionists had branded that memorial, which featured a concrete structure under three foot tall bearing memorial pictures of 1916 Easter Rising protagonists and a flag pole bearing the tricolour, as “illegal” and “provocative”

The aim of the forthcoming consultation, which the council says will commence shortly with notices in the Larne Times and on the council website, is to collect the views of the local community in Carnlough to the proposed memorial.

As part of this, 563 letters consultation will be sent out to Carnlough residents, while local businesses will be contacted directly and notices posted in various locations across Carnlough.

A council spokesperson stated: “The consultation aims to include all the residents of the area.

“On completion of the consultation the findings will be considered as part of the process in the final decision.

“Costs associated with this consultation will include the postage costs for 563 letters and administrative costs.”

Sinn Fein Councillor James McKeown said that he is due to meet with the council’s Chief Executive Anne Donaghy next Wednesday to discuss the consultation process.

The previous unofficial memorial in Carnlough was erected in March to commemorate the centenary of the Easter Rising. During its unveiling, the flags of the four provinces of Ireland were processed, and the proclamation of the Irish Republic was read out.