Police said four officers had been injured in the clashes, on the borders of Protestant and Catholic areas.

POPE John Paul will begin his first visit to Brittany, the Loire valley and western France, predominantly Catholic areas, this morning.

Anne Clark, who grew up in republican New Lodge, says: The place is a patchwork quilt of Protestant and Catholic areas.

Before the Troubles a socialist and not a nationalist stronghold, it is isolated geographically from other predominantly Catholic areas of Belfast.

The Orange Order was challenged today to make a contribution to the peace process by stopping attempts to march through Catholic areas.

They often break with their families, live a double life between Protestant and Catholic areas, face threats of violence and leave Northern Ireland altogether.

In 1969, members of Lynch's cabinet wanted him to either send troops across the Border or alternatively to arm the IRA to defend Catholic areas.

Sir, The argument that Orange marches only go through Catholic areas of Belfast by "accident" is wrong - and often worse than wrong.

From January 24th to 27th there were four nights of rioting when loyalists tried to break through into Catholic areas.