Ivan Little reports from the small village of Clontibret in Co Monaghan, just three miles over the Irish border. It had been the scene of a bizarre show of force the night before when a contingent of loyalists, led by DUP MP Peter Robinson, staged an ‘invasion’ of the Irish Republic, saying that they were highlighting lax security on the southern side of the border. Loyalists claimed they had 1,000 men, but Gardai sources put the figure at just 150.
While marching up and down the main street in military
fashion the loyalists were confronted by two Gardai members and then went on a
rampage, damaging property, graffitiing walls and attacking the Gardai members,
hospitalising one of them.
In the aftermath, Peter Robinson was arrested and detained in Monaghan Gardai station. His wife Iris and DUP colleague Nigel Dodds were interviewed by Little after visiting him in jail.