The Corcrain bonfire in Portadown was lit just before midnigt
The Corcrain bonfire is carefully watched by a fire crew in Portadown on Saturday night
Dean McCullough pictured at the Tigers Bay bonfire in North Belfast.
Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye
Ireland and EU flags and anti-Sinn Fein banner placed on an Eleventh night bonfire on waste ground close to Sunnylands Primary School in Carrickfergus.
Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX
The bonfire on Limavady's Greystone Road was set alight overnight on Saturday
Leaked security documents identified 14 bonfires as being contentious and recommended that they should be dismantled.
But senior cops advised against attempting to pull them down because of the potential for violent repercussions.
Among the list of 14 (of some 237 bonfires across Northern Ireland this weekend), seen by Sunday Life, is the Adam Street bonfire at Tigers Bay in north Belfast, close to the Duncairn Gardens interface with the nationalist New Lodge.
City council contractors had been on stand-by to remove the pyre, which will be set alight tonight. However, any action was called off because it would have required PSNI protection.
That is something police chiefs were not willing to sanction due to a risk of possible disorder. In refusing to do so, the force said it was considering the safety of people congregating at the bonfire, including children.
The same applies to the 13 other bonfires on a ‘contentious list’ drawn up by government officials and police.
Bonfires lit across Northern Ireland for Eleventh night 2021 [Photos] Close
Crowds watch a fireworks display before the huge bonfire in the loyalist Corcrain area of Portadown, Co Armagh, is lit on the "Eleventh night" to usher in the Twelfth commemorations. Pic Niall Carson/PA Wire
PA
A effigy of the historical figure Robert Lundy is burned as the huge bonfire in the loyalist Corcrain area of Portadown, Co Armagh, is lit on the "Eleventh night" to usher in the Twelfth commemorations. Pic: Niall Carson/PA Wire
PA
Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 10th July 2021
General views of the '11th night' celebrations, at Edgarstown, Portadown, where the bonfire was held two days earlier than usual.
Picture: Philip Magowan / PressEye
Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye
Firefighters dampen down nearby properties as a huge bonfire in the loyalist Corcrain area of Portadown, Co Armagh, is lit on the "Eleventh night" to usher in the Twelfth commemorations. Picture date: Sunday July 11, 2021. PA Photo. Loyalists across Northern Ireland have been building bonfires in preparation for the eleventh night celebrations, as part of a tradition to mark the anniversary of the Protestant King William's victory over the Catholic King James at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. See PA story ULSTER Twelfth. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire
PA
The huge bonfire in the loyalist Corcrain area of Portadown, Co Armagh, is lit on the "Eleventh night" to usher in the Twelfth commemorations. Picture date: Sunday July 11, 2021. PA Photo. Loyalists across Northern Ireland have been building bonfires in preparation for the eleventh night celebrations, as part of a tradition to mark the anniversary of the Protestant King William's victory over the Catholic King James at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. See PA story ULSTER Twelfth. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire
PA
Crowds watch a fireworks display before the huge bonfire in the loyalist Corcrain area of Portadown, Co Armagh, is lit on the "Eleventh night" to usher in the Twelfth commemorations. Picture date: Saturday July 10, 2021. PA Photo. Loyalists across Northern Ireland have been building bonfires in preparation for the eleventh night celebrations, as part of a tradition to mark the anniversary of the Protestant King William's victory over the Catholic King James at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. See PA story ULSTER Twelfth. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire
PA
Fire fighters dampen down nearby properties as a huge bonfire in the loyalist Corcrain area of Portadown, Co Armagh, is lit on the "Eleventh night" to usher in the Twelfth commemorations. Picture date: Sunday July 11, 2021. PA Photo. Loyalists across Northern Ireland have been building bonfires in preparation for the eleventh night celebrations, as part of a tradition to mark the anniversary of the Protestant King William's victory over the Catholic King James at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. See PA story ULSTER Twelfth. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire
PA
Fire fighters dampen down nearby properties as the huge bonfire in the loyalist Corcrain area of Portadown, Co Armagh, is lit on the "Eleventh night" to usher in the Twelfth commemorations. Picture date: Saturday July 10, 2021. PA Photo. Loyalists across Northern Ireland have been building bonfires in preparation for the eleventh night celebrations, as part of a tradition to mark the anniversary of the Protestant King William's victory over the Catholic King James at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. See PA story ULSTER Twelfth. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire
PA
Fire fighters dampen down nearby properties as a huge bonfire in the loyalist Corcrain area of Portadown, Co Armagh, is lit on the "Eleventh night" to usher in the Twelfth commemorations. Picture date: Sunday July 11, 2021. PA Photo. Loyalists across Northern Ireland have been building bonfires in preparation for the eleventh night celebrations, as part of a tradition to mark the anniversary of the Protestant King William's victory over the Catholic King James at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. See PA story ULSTER Twelfth. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire
PA
The huge bonfire in the loyalist Corcrain area of Portadown, Co Armagh, is lit on the "Eleventh night" to usher in the Twelfth commemorations. Picture date: Saturday July 10, 2021. PA Photo. Loyalists across Northern Ireland have been building bonfires in preparation for the eleventh night celebrations, as part of a tradition to mark the anniversary of the Protestant King William's victory over the Catholic King James at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. See PA story ULSTER Twelfth. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire
PA
Fire fighters dampen down nearby properties as a huge bonfire in the loyalist Corcrain area of Portadown, Co Armagh, is lit on the "Eleventh night" to usher in the Twelfth commemorations. Picture date: Sunday July 11, 2021. PA Photo. Loyalists across Northern Ireland have been building bonfires in preparation for the eleventh night celebrations, as part of a tradition to mark the anniversary of the Protestant King William's victory over the Catholic King James at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. See PA story ULSTER Twelfth. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire
PA
An effigy of historical figure Robert Lundy is burned as the huge bonfire in the loyalist Corcrain area of Portadown, Co Armagh, is lit on the "Eleventh night" to usher in the Twelfth commemorations. Picture date: Sunday July 11, 2021. PA Photo. Loyalists across Northern Ireland have been building bonfires in preparation for the eleventh night celebrations, as part of a tradition to mark the anniversary of the Protestant King William's victory over the Catholic King James at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. See PA story ULSTER Twelfth. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire
PA
PORTADOWN, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 11: A loyalist celebrates with a Union Jack flag as the 11th night bonfire which marks the beginning of the annual protestant 12th of July celebrations is lit on July 11, 2021 in Portadown, Northern Ireland. The 12th of July marches are a protestant celebration of King William of Oranges victory over the catholic King James at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images) *** BESTPIX ***
Getty Images
PORTADOWN, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 11: The 11th night bonfire which marks the beginning of the annual protestant 12th of July celebrations is lit on July 11, 2021 in Portadown, Northern Ireland. The 12th of July marches are a protestant celebration of King William of Oranges victory over the catholic King James at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)
Getty Images
PORTADOWN, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 11: A loyalist celebrates as the 11th night bonfire which marks the beginning of the annual protestant 12th of July celebrations is lit on July 11, 2021 in Portadown, Northern Ireland. The 12th of July marches are a protestant celebration of King William of Oranges victory over the catholic King James at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)
Getty Images
PORTADOWN, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 11: The 11th night bonfire which marks the beginning of the annual protestant 12th of July celebrations is lit in the Corcrain housing estate on July 11, 2021 in Portadown, Northern Ireland. The 12th of July marches are a protestant celebration of King William of Oranges victory over the catholic King James at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)
Getty Images
PORTADOWN, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 11: The 11th night bonfire which marks the beginning of the annual protestant 12th of July celebrations is lit on July 11, 2021 in Portadown, Northern Ireland. The 12th of July marches are a protestant celebration of King William of Oranges victory over the catholic King James at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)
Getty Images
PORTADOWN, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 11: A loyalist celebrates with a Union Jack flag as the 11th night bonfire which marks the beginning of the annual protestant 12th of July celebrations is lit on July 11, 2021 in Portadown, Northern Ireland. The 12th of July marches are a protestant celebration of King William of Oranges victory over the catholic King James at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)
Getty Images
PORTADOWN, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 11: A loyalist celebrates with a Union Jack flag as the 11th night bonfire which marks the beginning of the annual protestant 12th of July celebrations is lit on July 11, 2021 in Portadown, Northern Ireland. The 12th of July marches are a protestant celebration of King William of Oranges victory over the catholic King James at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)
Getty Images
Crowds watch a fireworks display before the huge bonfire in the loyalist Corcrain area of Portadown, Co Armagh, is lit on the "Eleventh night" to usher in the Twelfth commemorations. Picture date: Saturday July 10, 2021. PA Photo. Loyalists across Northern Ireland have been building bonfires in preparation for the eleventh night celebrations, as part of a tradition to mark the anniversary of the Protestant King William's victory over the Catholic King James at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. See PA story ULSTER Twelfth. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire
Crowds watch a fireworks display before the huge bonfire in the loyalist Corcrain area of Portadown, Co Armagh, is lit on the "Eleventh night" to usher in the Twelfth commemorations. Pic Niall Carson/PA Wire
Eleven of them are in Belfast — at the Flora Street Walkway, Cluan Place, Pitt Park, Ravenhill Street, Orangefield Park, Bloomfield Walkway, Clonduff, Belvoir estate, Severn Street, lower Oldpark, and Tyndale. The remaining three are in Portadown’s Corcrain, Edgarstown and Kilcomaine estates. The Corcrain pyre was among dozens lit last night at 11pm as July 11 falls on a Sunday this year. Others will be lit at midnight tonight.
All but one of the 14 contentious bonfires are on public land owned by either the local council, the Department for Infrastructure, or the Housing Executive.
Security assessments of the locations seen by this newspaper cite fire safety, vandalism, anti-social behaviour and interface issues as to why they should be pulled down.
But no action will be taken in light of Friday’s Tigers Bay bonfire High Court judgement, which ruled police were not legally obliged to protect contractors on stand-by to pull it down. That fire will be set alight at midnight tonight.
The case was taken by Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon and Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey. The bonfire is built on land owned by both departments. A separate action taken by a nationalist New Lodge resident who lives close to the interface was also rejected.
DUP MLA William Humphrey hit out at the legal bid to force police to assist in removing the bonfire, saying the ministers “have squandered taxpayers’ money” that could have helped develop the site.
Local DUP councillor Dean McCullough insisted the bonfire had the “overwhelming support” of the community and said he believed it would be “trouble-free”.
“What threat does it pose? There are no offensive flags, emblems or images. We are working to de-escalate tensions and are respectful of our neighbours,” he added.
But widely shared videos, including one showing a loyalist hitting golf balls in the direction of the nationalist New Lodge area on the opposite side of the street, run contrary to that.
“I condemn that. We told the young people that it was counterproductive, that it’s not neighbourly and that you should not be hitting golf balls at your neighbours,” Mr McCullough said.
North Belfast MP John Finucane, who has been an outspoken critic of the bonfire, spoke to a number of loyalists at the site on Thursday through a gate on the New Lodge side. He told them: “Neither I nor my party object to bonfires if that’s your thing, but there are multiple examples held elsewhere without having this supremacist message of hate.”
Welcoming Friday night’s court decision, Police Federation chairman Mark Lindsay said: “It’s really good news for our officers that they are not being thrown into the middle of what really is a horrendous situation for them.
“There’s been very hard-won relationships built in both those areas and I think that for policing to be thrown into the middle and to actually come toe-to-toe, if you like... fighting with people from those communities is not good news for anybody.”
As well as arguing that any intervention by officers could result in serious disorder, the PSNI also disclosed “untested intelligence” indicating a possible firearms attack if contractors moved into Tigers Bay. But this was rejected by loyalist sources who insisted there is “no chance” that the UDA, to which the bonfire is affiliated, would open fire on police.
One said: “The last time that happened was 16 years ago during rioting on the Shankill after the Whiterock parade was rerouted. There is no chance of it happening now in Tigers Bay .
“What is left of the UDA in Tigers Bay is now controlled by the West Belfast UDA. Loyalist leaders from the Shankill moved in after the break-up of the North Belfast UDA several years ago and now run the gang as a satellite faction.”
Meanwhile a banner branding Sinn Fein leaders Michelle O’Neill, Mary Lou McDonald, Gerry Adams and Gerry Kelly “enemies of Northern Ireland” has been placed on a bonfire on waste ground close to Sunnylands Primary School in Carrickfergus.
Another on Oakfield Drive in the Co Antrim town bears an election poster for Alliance leader Naomi Long.
In Limavady a controversial bonfire on Greystone Road, which had been painted green, white and orange and labelled “an expression of hate” by Sinn Fein, was set alight early on Saturday. Loyalists have blamed republicans.
