EFFORTS were continuing last night to avoid a repetition of last weekend's loyalist picketing of Catholic churches in Co Antrim.
Protesters in Ballymena blocked a church and prevented people attending Mass while pickets were mounted outside churches in the nearby villages of Bushmills and Dervock. The protests were in retaliation for the halting by nationalists of a loyalist parade in Dunloy two weeks ago.
Mr Sean Farren, an SDLP councillor, held meetings earlier this week with Mr Ian Paisley jnr of the DUP, whose party organised the Bushmills and Dervock protests.
Following those discussions a public meeting was arranged last night in Bushmills which local clergy were expected to attend.
It is thought the protests in Ballymena may have been organised by a loyalist paramilitary organisation and it was unclear if there would be further protests outside the church tonight. The RUC is expected to have a "sufficient" presence in Ballymena to prevent a repetition of last week's blockade.