Ahoghill (pronounced ah-HOCH-ill, where "ch" represents the guttural sound in "loch"; not pronounced "A Hog Hill") is a village in the district of Ballymena in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. In early documents, Ahoghill is referred to as "Magherahoghill", meaning "'the plain of the ford at the yew wood". A village is a human settlement commonly found in rural areas. ... Northern Ireland is divided into 26 Local Council areas. ... Ballymena (Irish: An Baile Meánach, middle town) is a town in County Antrim, in Northern Ireland and the seat of Ballymena Borough Council. ... County Antrim ( in [Gaelic) is one of the six Irish counties that form Northern Ireland. ... Royal motto: Quis separabit (Latin: Who will separate?) Northern Irelands location within the UK Official languages English, Irish, Ulster Scots Capital and largest city Belfast First Minister Office suspended Area  - Total Ranked 4th 13,843 km² Population  - Total (2001)  - Density Ranked 4th 1,685,267 122/km² NUTS 1...

Recent Attacks

Ahoghill has recently seen a series of firebomb attacks on the homes of some of its Catholic residents, as loyalists seek to remove them from the area. The Police Service of Northern Ireland have been unable to apprehend the perpetrators, and have handed out fire blankets and smoke alarms. Local politician Ian Paisley, Jr. has told the media he believes the police know who are behind the attacks. PSNI Deputy Chief Constable Paul Leighton has been criticised for attempting to play down the sectarianism of the attacks by claiming they are caused by neighbours who are "not getting on", and he has since admitted the attacks are sectarian. Many sectarian attacks of this type have previously taken place in the village and surrounding areas. Local clerics of all denominations have visited the families concerned and condemned the attacks in the strongest terms. In general, a loyalist is an individual who is loyal to the powers that be. ... The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) is the police service that covers Northern Ireland. ... Ian Paisley, Jr (born 1966 in Belfast), Ireland. ... Sectarianism refers (usually pejoratively) to a rigid adherence to a particular sect or party or denomination. ... Sectarianism is an adherence to a particular sect or party or denomination, it also usually involves a rejection of those not a member of ones sect. ...

External links

• St. Mary's GAC, Ahoghill — Ahoghill GAA Club
• Attacks prompt fire blankets move — BBC news article
• In a corner of Antrim another generation grows up on a diet of sectarian hatred — The Guardian newspaper article