Creamery executives get death threats over farm

FOUR members of the board of Donegal Creameries, which bought the farm from which the Graham family was evicted last month, yesterday received death threats from people demanding that the farm be returned.

The threats follow reports that a "death list" purporting to come from the Ulster Freedom Fighters was shown to a journalist in Northern Ireland last week.

A spokesman for the "North Antrim and Londonderry Brigade of the UFF" was quoted as saying the paramilitaries believed the eviction of the Graham family had sectarian motives.

Donegal Creameries bought the 3,000 acre Graham farm, An Grianan, from National Irish Bank for £3.7 million.

Yesterday, the families of four members of the board received threatening telephone calls from a man or men who demanded the farm be returned to the Grahams, or else the board members lives would be in danger. It is unclear whether the caller or callers claimed to be from any organisation.

The four board members, Mr Alexander Tinney, Mr Ivan Grier, Mr Jeffrey Vance and Mr David Gregg, are Protestants. Mr Tinney is chairman of Donegal Creameries and Mr Grier is vice chairman.

On Friday, the managing director of Donegal Creameries, Mr John Keon, received a telephone call from a man who said Mr Keon's life would be in danger if he did not co operate. The caller did not claim to belong to any organisation.

Gardai have said they are aware of the threats and are "assessing their status". A Garda superintendent is understood to be among those whose names have been mentioned by those making the threats.

The group has also made a threat against the life of Dublin accountant, Mr Tom Grace, who acted as a receiver for National Irish Bank.

Mr Keon said the four board members were at a morning meeting in the creamery at the time of the calls to their homes. After receiving news of the threats, "we all went down to the farm to conduct some business. We went ahead with our arrangement, we are not being intimidated".

Donegal Creameries was not involved in the eviction process. The people making the threats "should come and talk to the people of Donegal, particularly here in the east. We are a mixed community here and I would welcome their coming here to see the reality".

The creamery had acquired milk quotas from the Graham farm and were now about to share these out among local farmers. "Farmers of both religions are awaiting this share out.

Mr Tinney said he felt the threats were "genuine, even though they are misguided".

I am annoyed that this question [sectarianism] has even been brought up because we are definitely living in harmony here. We are not being mistreated, or if we are we must be really stupid, because we haven't noticed."

The Graham family have condemned the threats and deny sectarianism was a factor in the eviction.