Since last June, Catholic children from ages 4 to 11 have suffered verbal and physical assaults each day as they made their way to school at Holy Cross Primary School in Ardoyne, North Belfast. These attacks have included verbal abuse, stones, bolts, firecrackers, urine-filled balloons, grenades and pipe bombs thrown at them by Protestant demonstrators attempting to force them to take a different route to school and enter their school through the back door. The latest bomb attack, which wounded four police officers, is attributed to an outlawed Protestant para-military group called the Red Hand Defenders, which claimed responsibility.
Due to the terrorist attacks of September 11, this story has been pushed to the back pages of the news - if it is covered at all. But the children of Northern Ireland continue to live the dangerous and fearful life they have lived for far too long.
Below is a list of Holy Cross students, by name and ages, and an address where you can send them a card or note to brighten their day and let them know there are many people around the world who are thinking of them and care about them, their safety, their happiness, and their future.
We hope you will join us in this. Whatever problems exist in the world, children are never at fault and should never be the victims of adult hatred. This is a chance to make a major difference at very little expense, so please send a card or letter to one or more of the children listed below - and pass this on to everyone you know.
Rath De' ort,
Craig Smith
Taoiseach
Write to the children at: 2 Brompton Park
Ardoyne,
Belfast BT14 7AN
North Ireland
STUDENTS
Age 4: Age 5 & 6:
Laura Armstrong Lauren Alexander
Emer Carmichael Kathleen Butcher
Caitriona Felloni Natasha Coiley
Shannon Fitzsimons Lauren Coleman
Stephanie Lavery Shannon Coleman
Aiden McClafferty Shannon Delaney
Ryan McFadden Rachel Fitzsimons
Rebecca McKernan Laura Gouldie
Shauna McMahon Stephanie Harper
Nicole Moreland Nicole Hughes
Shannon O'Neill Amy Hyland
Conor Quigley Elizabeth-Marie Johnston
Conor Shannon Roshia Kelly
Caoimhe Kinghan
Alexandria Lavery
Age 6 & 7: Saoirse Lyttle
Michaela Agnew Sinead McAuley
Sinead Boyle Fainne McCann
Nicole Bradley Samantha McConville
Nuala Collins Jamie McFadden
Jolene Corbett Megan NcLaughlin
Nicole Corrigan Rachel Mervyn
Clodagh Duffy Kirsty Shannon
Mary Lee Fitzsimons Jamie Slavin
Rachel Flynn Shauna Stevenson
Roisin Holmes Nicole Varndell
May Kane
Emma McCann
Vanessa McDonagh Age 7 & 8:
Shauna McErlean Kerry Braniff
Maria McGrath Leona Burns
Chloe McKernan Roisin Davison
Lauren McMahon Catherine Gouldie
Jade Molloy Nicole Gregg
Claire Louise Murray Nicole Hallam
Rebecca Petticrew Eirinn Keenan
Lauren Prenter Lauren Lavery
Rachel Rock Tania Lavery
Megan Rooney Christina Lyttle
Lauren Stevenson Shauna McKeown
Elisha Milligan
Sarah Molloy
Age 7 & 8: Mellisa O'Neill
Seona Alexander Stephanie Scullion
Tara Alexander Naimh Turley
Dorrena Canavan
Danielle Copeland Age 9 & 10:
Shannon Doherty Aine Booth
Louise Ewing Geraldine Burns
Tanya Kane Sinead Corbett
Gemma McCabe Ciara Doherty
Michaela McEvoy Shannan Doherty
Margaret McKenna Christina Duffy
Tammie-Jane McMullan Kerry Ann Magee
Grainne McNally Stacy McAllister
Rebekah Monaghan Chiara McFarlane
Emma Mulhern Sarah Jane McLaughlin
Niamh Murphy Ashleigh Reid
Aine Kane Alisha Varndell
Shauna-Louise Rock Amanda Bowes
Morgaine Sullivan Elmear Campbell
Shauna Toal Brogan Campbell/Harvey
Orlaith Commander
Roisin Crawford
Age 8 & 9: Nicola Donnelly
Carla Anzellini Paulette Donnelly
Emma-louise Begley Colleen Dunlop
Donna Bradley Lucilla Haughey
Jamie Lee Braniff Shannon Irvine
Emma Carmichael Nicole Kane
Maria Corrigan Amy Lindsay
Kirsty Delaney Toni Mailey
Jolene Doyle Danielle McGrandles
Leona Finn Christine McGuigan
Roisin Gallagher Mairead McGuire
Kelly Galway Orlaith Mulholland
Laura Hallam Stacey Owens
Emma Harkin Rebecca Patterson
Megan Kelly Orlaith Steele
Danielle Lowe Daneille Webb
Caitlin Lyons
Zoie McAuley
Shauna McGrillen Age 10 & 11:
Maura McLaughlin Hayley Andrews
Anna-Marie McWilliams Lisa Benson
Tara Molloy Helen Boyle
Shauna-Lee Quail Shaunna Clarke
Hannah Quigley Michaela Coogan
Emma Toal Rona Donnelly
Danielle Wylie Louise Doran
Shauna Flynn
Orla Frame
Sonya Gorman
Cora Haughey
Dearolagh Maguire
Nicola McCann
Teresa McConnville
Aine McCreesh
Nicole McCrory
Donna McEwan
Elaine Mooney
Michaela Mulhern
Corrina Kane
Sinead Owens
Emma Patterson
Rose Quigley
Terri Thompson
