04/03/2016 BBC Newsline


04/03/2016

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Good evening, the headlines on BBC Newsline: An under-car bomb

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explodes, seriously injuring a prison officer.

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The police say another attack before Easter is highly likely.

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I believe that there are people within dissident Republican group

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thinks who want to mark this centenary by killing prison

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officers, police officers all soldiers. -- or soldiers.

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They come and justification, absolutely no justification

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whatsoever were for anybody can go with a gun or a bomb.

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County Armagh school doubled the number of GCSE passes

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A song for Europe, Northern Ireland farmers are junior got before

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France! Ulster look to get back to winning

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ways in the Pro12 tonight The first week of March has

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certainly roared in like a lion, but it looks much

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quieter this weekend. A senior police officer says another

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attack is highly likely following this morning's murder

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attempt on a prison officer. The 52-year-old, who works

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in Hydebank Wood, is in a stable condition in hospital

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after surgery on his legs. A bomb exploded under a van

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as he was driving it away In a moment, our home affairs

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correspondent will assess the scale of the threat from dissident

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Republicans in the run up to the centenary

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of the Easter Rising. But first, Mervyn Jess

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is in East Belfast for us this It was just after 7am this morning

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that people living here in the Woodstock Road work woken by a sound

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that isn't that familiar anymore. The sound of a bomb exploding. The

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blast blew the front bumper off the van and damaged the cab of the

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vehicle. The prison officer driving it suffered what had been described

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as serious leg injuries, however, they was able to get out and stagger

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away from the scene. It woke me from I sleep. I heard the bang and it

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sounded like a building falling. That is all I heard. What did it

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make you think? It was frightening. The explosion happened at the van

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was going over a speed bump on Hillsborough dry, before emerging

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onto the Woodstock Road. Police are investigating weather that action of

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driving over the ramp may have dislodged or partially activated the

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device. The intention of this device was to kill. Someone prepared this

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device, someone transporter that this device and someone planted this

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bomber. There are people watching these media broadcasts who have

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information that would help us catch those responsible. We need that

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information and support. This repeal -- appeal was repeated by the

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Justice Minister who went to the scene of the bombing this morning.

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This would certainly be seen to be with what we associate with

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dissident Republicans. Evidence is being gathered and there is a lot of

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work to do, but what is crucial is that anybody who has any information

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must supply it. I have today asked for an updated threat assessment,

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the threat level against our staff is currently at severe. That is the

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threat that our stuff, my colleagues face on a daily basis so we will

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continue to work to keep ourselves and each other safe, but it is

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important to go about our work, this will not deter us from continuing

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the job that we do to keep people in Northern Ireland and safe. The Army

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bomb disposal team has been carrying out a carefully examining and of the

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scene. If, as has been suggested, that this device is only partially

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exploded, it may be that important clues to the bombers will be able to

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be drawn from it. It is over three years ago that dissident Republicans

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shot dead prison officer David Black as he drove along the motorway on

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the way to Maghaberry. Since then, the prison officers Association has

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been warning about threats to kill more officers. I can only assume

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these Republicans, because we are aware that threats are imminent

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against prison officers. The threat level is high. We have no doubt they

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carried it out. A number of people were moved out of nearby homes and

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join today's follow-up security operation. Several shops and

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businesses inside the cord and were forced to close. As you, publicity

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behind me, traffic is flowing again. The security cordon has been lifted

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and that the van taken away for further frenzied examination. But

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there is no doubt this prison officer, one seriously injured, had

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an extremely fortunate escape and to be able to walk away with his life.

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And once again this points open up people who are targets by dissident

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Republicans cannot afford to drop their guard for a moment.

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There's been widespread political condemnation of the attack.

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We need to be alert and the possibility of these evil men using

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tactics to thwart. We have been building a peaceful, positive future

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and people who want to drag us back to the past need to be worked

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against them brought to justice. They come in and justification

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whatsoever for anybody going out with a gun or a bomber against a

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backdrop of the massive transformation that is taking place

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in our society over the last 20 years, to try and take someone's

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life. There are only lessons to be learned from this incident. I can

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assure all police and prison officers that huge efforts to go

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into ensuring that we keep them as safe and possible, but the reality

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is that this threat is a lethal one and that is why we will be vigilant

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in combating it now and for the foreseeable future.

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Our home affairs correspondent Vincent Kearney is with me.

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What do we know about the nature of this bomber? As we heard then, it

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appears this bomber only partially exploded, so the remains of this

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device are being examined by bomb experts. But there were similarities

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between this device, I understand, by once used by dissident Republican

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group referred to as the New IRA. It is likely the device contained some

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commercial explosive, possibly send the text, we know large quantities

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of that were given to the provisional IRA by Libya in the 80s,

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and we also know... We heard in the report the police referring to the

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centenary of the Easter Rising at the end of the month. They have been

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saying for some time about the threat from dissident Republicans,

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but in particular, to coincide with that centenary. Indeed they have.

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This is the kind of attack the police have been expecting and

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fearing for some time. They've been saying for some month that dissident

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Republicans were likely to make some concerted effort to step up their

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activities to mark the Easter Rising centenary. Steve Martin said this

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morning that it appears at Easter this year there will be extra

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significance for many within the Nationalists and Republicans

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community because of the centenary. Many events are planned across

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Northern Ireland and the police need to work with event organisers to

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make sure the events pass off peacefully, but he issued a stark

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warning about the intentions of dissident Republicans. He said the

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PSNI is deeply concerned at the threat level at this time. There are

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people within dissident Republican grouping that want to mark the

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Easter 2016 centenary in an entirely more sinister way. Who want to kill

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police officers, prison officers or soldiers. We believe the threat is

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extremely high at the moment, the upper end of severe and we need

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community support. It is not inevitable that anyone needs to lose

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their life. We will be working hard to prevent that and ask for the

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support from the community. Be vigilant and if you see anything

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suspicious, tell us. The upper of Sophia. So they do expect further

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attacks? Absolutely. It is much more than a simple, general warning.

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Please don't often give an insight into their intentions, but they did

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so today. Steve Martin chose his words carefully and those words were

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very strong and direct. He spoke of deep concern and said another attack

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was regarded as highly likely and we worked all police have increased the

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number of patrols and will continue to do so. We were also told police

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officers and civilians working for the PSNI were told recently to

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increase their security awareness and I understand that applies to

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prison officers and soldiers. It is clear the police were expecting an

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attack of this kind for some time. It is also clear they are expecting

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further attacks. This warning clearly demonstrates the police have

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credible and believe that dissident Republicans are trying to increase

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what they call their operation tempo to mark the Easter Rising with a

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series of attacks with it is being police officers, prison officers and

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soldiers. Thank you. You're watching BBC Newsline

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and still to come on the programme: A former members club opens its

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doors as a hotel. A County Armagh school has increased

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the number of GCSE passes among boys St Paul's High School in Bessbrook

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has over 1,500 pupils. Before a new programme

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of measures was introduced, one third of the boys

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achieved five GCSE passes. Our Education Correspondent Robbie

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Meredith discovered how This man has a crucial part in a

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battle to raise boys and their results. Some students are

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disillusioned and unfocused and we don't have a male role model at

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home. That may be for different reasons, maybe their cousins are

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younger and they can relate to them. This call deliberately hired more

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male classroom assistants and their involvement works in other ways. The

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boy may be struggling academically or personally, and we actively try

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and speak to their grandad, uncle or Big Brother or whatever. Mail

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abilities are encouraged to attend all parents meetings. I think it

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makes a great difference. From afar the's point of view. We feel we know

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what is going on on a day-to-day education bases in the school. The

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school introduced new GCSEs in subjects like agriculture and

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horticulture and revamped the ripe Brie -- library to encourage boys to

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read more. In 2013, 30 6% of boys at the School got five GCSEs including

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maths, but in 2015, that had risen to 65%. This intensive focus on boys

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has brought startling results here at St Paul's High School. But is it

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an approach that can also work elsewhere? I think it could. We are

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locally based, so we know the people inside it. For the schools, if you

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get to know the students as well as we do, that is key. And who better

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results, comes more ambition. Boys were dropping out in fifth year,

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they had no interest. More of them want to go to university now. It's

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opened your eyes to the wider world of work, so the opportunities at

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University present themselves to you. Education inspector has praised

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as outstanding. -- their work as outstanding.

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This former private members club in Londonderry that once hosted

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famous figures like Sir Winston Churchill has been given new lease

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The listed building at Bishop's Gate fell into serious disrepair

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in recent years, but has now been restored by a Heritage charity

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Here's our North-West reporter, Keiron Tourish.

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Restored to its former glory, the Bishop's Gate Hotel in the city

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centre. It was first built here in 1831 as a dwelling house. At the

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turn of the 20th century, in 1901, it was transformed into a private

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members club where business and civic leaders met to discuss the

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issues of the day. The Northern counties building, as it was known,

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attracted people from near and far. The building has had some well-known

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people staying here over eight -- is longer an illustrated history.

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House-macro illustrious. Edward Carson, WB Yeats and Winston

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Churchill. As part of a project to restore the Heritage, the inner-city

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trust charity purchased the listed building in 2012. We lost a number

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of historic buildings to ring the recent Troubles and his important a

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bit managed to restore what is left of that. The new operator of the 31

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bedroom hotel, say in needs additional accommodation to cater

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for increasing numbers of tourists. We had a great vision to find this

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property and bring it back to life. We are looking at over 60 jobs and

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the full nationalisation of the hotel in about a month when we are

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completely open to the public. Two Government departments and the

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lottery helps fund the restoration. They believe it is money well spent

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on an historic landmark in the city centre.

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Coming up on the programme: The County Armagh clash.

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A team that's never before made an Irish cup quarter final faces

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It's 30 years since Northern Ireland qualified

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for a major football tournament, so it's 30 years since there's

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Back in 1986, the players sang one, this time it's the turn of the fans.

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BBC Newsline's Mark Simpson went along to the rehearsals.

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No matter what happens on the pitch in France this summer, Northern

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Ireland fans are hoping to win the singing contest. # Northern Ireland!

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# Northern Ireland! # the song was written by Vincent he. 30 years ago,

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it was also involved in writing the Northern Ireland song. #, come on

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Northern Ireland, we'll support you for evermore. We are with you when

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you need us of all. #. It has been a long wait for Vincent to write

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another song but it has been worth it. The # they said we'd never make

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it, we didn't have a chance #. So how did the two recordings combo?

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Well, last time, it was all of the team. This time there was more,

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we've got a few hellions in here. I think it is time to make more lively

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and so forth. What you think of the song? It is a lovely, catchy number!

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I only got the lyrics today. This catchy, we number! What you think of

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the sinking? Well, we are not West life. And they Brazil, they are

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Northern Ireland. -- they are not Brazil.

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# we are the green and white army we are on our way. #.

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The fans are certainly in good voice.

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As for Ulster rugby fans, they will be singing loudly

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and proudly tonight when their team take to the pitch tonight.

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Thomas Niblock is here and the players have something

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They do, for a variety of reasons, Donna.

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One, to keep alive their hopes of winning the Pro12,

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and two, qualification for the European Champions Cup next

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Ulster Rugby have lost their last two games, tonight they make four

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changes for the arrival of Italian side Zebre in Belfast.

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And because of those poor recent results,

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the players know tonight's game is simply a must-win!

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It has been disappointing and we hold ourselves to high standards. Or

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just the last fortnight, but for the last month we have not been playing

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as well as we liked. Even last week, we had a future of conversations

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within the squad and are looking to stay positive and we know we are

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going to have a big reaction that this week and we owe the fan is a

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good game, a good performance. They still massive self belief in the

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squad among individuals and collectively, but we are still

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sitting in fourth position, which is poor position for the Play-Offs so

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if we can crack on and getting a few more winners, we will put ourselves

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in good stead for the end of the season. That game is on BBC Two at

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7:30pm. At the World Golf Championship event

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at Doral in Florida, Rory McIlroy started the day five

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shots off the early pace. The World Number Three

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is back out on course now, early in his second

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round and so far. On this the very first hole after a

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magnificent chip to the pain be living in to bogey the second. He is

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currently one under for the tournament, five shots off the lead.

:18:44.:18:45.

Now, if there's to be an upset in tomorrow's Irish cup quarter

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finals, it could very well come at Shamrock Park,

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where Championship One side Lurgan Celtic make the short trip

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to take on last year's beaten finalists Portadown,

:18:53.:18:54.

Mark Sidebottom has been to meet the Lurgan lads with nothing

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They've been around for over a century, tomorrow, for the first

:18:59.:19:09.

time they play in the quarterfinals of the Irish cup. And this is what

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they will tackle. What a goal from Philip Lowry! The pressure is all on

:19:18.:19:22.

Portadown. It is all on big money, I'm afraid. We are just couldn't

:19:23.:19:25.

enjoyed the day one way or another. You would say that. It is football,

:19:26.:19:34.

and that is just the way it is. Dog eat dog. And this pack is hungry,

:19:35.:19:37.

especially the strays who joined from Portadown. I'm looking forward

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to it. We won our last six, may be Portadown will be on former. Its

:19:50.:20:00.

first time in the quarterfinal, so if it happens, it will be history as

:20:01.:20:04.

well. Tomorrow, somebody's got to take a tumble. There will be

:20:05.:20:10.

coverage on BBC Radio Ulster sports from 2pm.

:20:11.:20:12.

A month ago, the Belfast Giants looked to be out of the Elite League

:20:13.:20:15.

title race, but after an impressive run of wins, they are back

:20:16.:20:18.

They face the Braehead Clan at the SSE Arena tomorrow,

:20:19.:20:21.

in front of what's anticipated, to be their biggest home crowd

:20:22.:20:24.

He flicks it through and it's a goal! The Giants win 5-2 over the

:20:25.:20:38.

Braehead Clan has revived their title chances. They closed the gap

:20:39.:20:42.

at the top to just three points and breaking down the necks of Cardiff

:20:43.:20:46.

in Sheffield. The pressure is on them now. They've got to hang onto

:20:47.:20:50.

it and we have three games against them and Sheffield is right there

:20:51.:20:54.

also. It is great for the league but you have got to worry about each

:20:55.:20:58.

game and try to get better and we are peaking at the right time. Extra

:20:59.:21:02.

seating is being put in to media and for the largest crowd of the season,

:21:03.:21:08.

six and a half thousand. And with four of their six games remaining at

:21:09.:21:11.

home, the Giants will have to take advantage. We've had some great

:21:12.:21:16.

games this year. It's pretty much sold out. Things had been going our

:21:17.:21:22.

way, so we are looking to run around the fans and get a big win on

:21:23.:21:27.

Saturday. The champagne is not an icy yet, but the Giants are on

:21:28.:21:31.

course to smash their way to a Championship. And good look to them.

:21:32.:21:34.

Finally, Gaelic games, and there's a full programme

:21:35.:21:36.

in the Allianz National League this weekend, with coverage

:21:37.:21:38.

on BBC Radio Ulster on both Saturday and Sunday.

:21:39.:21:41.

The pick of the ties arguably Derry and Tyrone's first clash

:21:42.:21:43.

many of us woke up to snow this morning. A great time to take pretty

:21:44.:22:14.

pictures and send a minute to Cecilia. You did get some, but I

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like the still, Cecilia. Not too much though. I hope it

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will not be to buy this weekend? No, not too much snow this weekend. We

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have had it two mornings this week and it is March and spring! Is no

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record was the south-east, in County Armagh and County Down. This is how

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it looks on this morning. Debbie here got up at 3am and rushed out

:22:41.:22:44.

into her car in her wellies to get this picture for us. Thank you for

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that. If you are heading to Ravenhill this evening or to be

:22:52.:22:54.

Ulster match, there will be no snow, but it will feel very, very cold,

:22:55.:23:00.

mainly because of the wind. It is a very cold wind this evening and it

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will gradually ease off through the weekend. It will stay on the cold

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side. Lots of time it will be dry and bright, so hopefully you will

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get out into it and wrap up warm. We have a couple showers tonight, a

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cold wind blowing them through quickly.

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Mostly rain showers, maybe a bit of sleet and snow on the higher hills.

:23:34.:23:36.

By the end of the night, dry and clear and temperatures and shelter

:23:37.:23:39.

will get down to close or freezing. One or two icy stretches are

:23:40.:23:41.

possible to night or Saturday morning. Lots of cold, dry and

:23:42.:23:43.

bright weather on Saturday. A few early morning showers and that nasty

:23:44.:23:46.

wind coming in from the north and lots of dry weather, blue sky and

:23:47.:23:49.

sunshine. It will look nice, but in the wind, feel cold. Parts of the

:23:50.:23:53.

East Coast, really bitter. Temperatures 5-6d, but when you take

:23:54.:23:59.

the wind into account, it will feel more like freezing. But in shelter,

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the march sun is getting a bit stronger and it will feel a nice.

:24:05.:24:08.

Clear skies persist in the wind drops and temperatures will fall

:24:09.:24:12.

quickly towards evening and tomorrow night, we will see a sharp frost.

:24:13.:24:18.

Lots of blue on the map, -3, maybe minus 4-5 in one or two spots. A

:24:19.:24:24.

sharp frost for Sunday morning. That Sunday morning will have light winds

:24:25.:24:28.

and sunshine and feel a lovely. We have a bit of a problem later in the

:24:29.:24:33.

day, cloud increase is from the West, threatening rain, sleet and

:24:34.:24:36.

snow for western counties which is tied into a weather fronts. Most of

:24:37.:24:41.

that rain or snow will be to the south and will move away and then we

:24:42.:24:45.

will see a bit less cold air as we move into the new week. I like it!

:24:46.:24:50.

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:24:51.:24:55.

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