Neeson turns down hometown honour after religious row

Liam Neeson has turned down the freedom of his Northern Ireland home town of Ballymeena, saying the controversy last month's offer had generated between Catholics and Protestants made it 'inappropriate' to accept the honour.

Neeson, a practising Catholic, said in a statement that although he was proud of his association with the his small home town and appreciated the city council's gesture, "it would be inappropriate for me to accept in view of the stated opposition of some members (of the city council) and the resultant controversy".

Neeson, who played the role of 1920s Irish nationalist leader Michael Collins in the film of the same name, said in the statement: "I regard the enduring support which I have received over the years from all sections of the community in Ballymeena as being more than sufficient recognition for any success which I may have achieved as an actor". The controversy surrounding the offer centred around comments attributed to Neeson in which he claimed to have felt a second-class citizen growing up in the mostly Protestant town, and that he had to stay indoors during the loyalist July 12 commemoration of the Battle of the Boyne.

Unionist councillor Maurice Mills argued that the freedom of Ballymeena should instead be offered to Ian Paisley, the area's MP. 'Mr Neeson', said Mills, 'has vilified the people of this town and in particular the Protestant people of this town and he has also questioned the celebration of the 12th of July. I don't think someone who expressed words such as that could be described as one of the leading sons of Ballymena.

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