MP’s hay targeted in arson attack

HAY meadows belonging to Mid Ulster MP Francie Molloy have been targeted in arson attacks. The three strips of land with an area of one and a half acres each, were singled out by the vandals last Friday evening.

Mr Molloy is in no doubt his strips of meadow were chosen as there were other strips of land ignored by the arsonists. The attack follows fires on his land last July, when bales were set alight on the ‘Eleventh night’ and two weeks later. The veteran Sinn Féin man believes the latest attack may be sectarian.

He explained to the Herald that the land is close to the Argory, Charlemont along the banks of the Blackwater River.

“I was only out of the meadows a short time and my grand-daughter saw the smoke and raised the alarm,” he said. “There are 15 long strips of meadows and I own three of them. Whoever set them alight picked them out as two are alongside each other ten metres apart, but the third one is 100 metres away from them and separated by other meadows. Someone had to light each one.

“Someone obviously knows them. Last year it wasn’t really investigated as police said somebody may have thrown a cigarette butt but this year it needs to be investigated as it was very deliberately targeted.”

Mr Molloy attempted to put out the flames but was overwhelmed by the heat.

He explained, “I tried to beat it down but I couldn’t and my very shoe laces were melted. It was getting dangerous and I rang the fire-brigade and police. We had it well quelled and the fire-brigade totally extinguished it. It looks like each strip was lit at the same time as a third of each was burnt”.

The MP, who described himself as a ‘hobby farmer’ with his brother, estimated that each strip lost about 12 bales worth £30 each.

He added, “I have worked these meadows since I was old enough to hold a fork, and that is over 60 years. That was through some very troubled times and have never encountered the like of this. It looks sectarian. It is hard to believe someone would do that at that time of the evening.

“It has to be someone that knows the meadows or is being shown them but farmers don’t do that type of thing. I feel very aggrieved. It is hard to believe someone would target me in this way after all these years.

“I work for anyone who comes to my door, be they nationalist or unionist. I do that all the time. It is sad this has happened in a rural community. It is not the way of the rural community.”

Police confirmed they are carrying out enquiries to establish the cause of the fire.

Anyone with any information or who noticed any suspicious activity in Derrycaw Road in the Charlemont area on at around 7.30pm last Friday evening is asked to contact police in Armagh on 101, quoting reference number 1662 08/07/22.