John Hunter's column: Coleraine's chimes are a changing

SDLP frontliner, Coleraine councillor John Dallat, a target of loyalist threats in recent weeks, is not taking any chances on for whom the bell tolls.

The dinger in question is the town's curfew bell which was rung every evening in the 17th century to tell Catholics and lesser beings to get out of town by nine o'clock or face the wrath of the law.

Now the bell is being brought out of storage for public display in Coleraine. But while supporting the move on historical grounds, Dallat has cautioned unionist deep-thinkers locally not to get any big ideas.

It's 2001, not 1690, he says. But is he sure?

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