Gym ruined in second attack on GAA club

An attack on the whole community is how a gym owner has described an arson attack which destroyed his newly opened premises in Moy.
By The Newsroom
Published 9th Apr 2016, 07:00 BST
Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 4th April 2016 The scene on the Benburb Road outside The Moy in Co. Tyrone where a gym at a GAA club was gutted after an overnight arson attack. Gym owner Connell Donnelly. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEyePress Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 4th April 2016 The scene on the Benburb Road outside The Moy in Co. Tyrone where a gym at a GAA club was gutted after an overnight arson attack. Gym owner Connell Donnelly. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye
Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 4th April 2016 The scene on the Benburb Road outside The Moy in Co. Tyrone where a gym at a GAA club was gutted after an overnight arson attack. Gym owner Connell Donnelly. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye

Connell Donnelly was commenting after the Sunday night blaze at the gym, based at Tír na nÓg clubhouse.

The clubhouse itself had only reopened in recent weeks, after suffering smoke damage in an arson attack in September.

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Chairman of the GAA club Francis McQuade said he has no idea why anyone should target the premises. He said the club attracts widespread community support, with players from across the religious divide, and that any sectarian motive was unlikely.

He added that the main clubhouse was undamaged and that the club will be able to carry on operating as normal. “Everyone rallied around the last time and they will do this time,” he added.

Mr Donnelly, however, said he believed a sectarian motive could not be ruled out, but added that all the culprits had done was “take a small community and make it even stronger”.

A PSNI spokesman said the attack was being investigated.

Related topics:GAAPSNI