Red, white and blue paint in a Co Derry village is to be allowed to fade away as part of efforts to change its image – after The Irish News asked if it was the most sectarian place in the north.
Community leaders in Newbuildings say they are also willing to meet the GAA in a bid to stop attacks on fans.
In May, The Irish News carried an in-depth report exploring the reasons behind continuing sectarian attacks in the almost-exclusively Protestant village on the outskirts of Derry city.
The feature followed attacks on Catholics attending Mass which forced the parish priest to drop the Saturday night vigil Mass.
It also came after years of attacks on GAA and Derry City soccer fans returning from away games along the main Dublin-Derry road through the village.
The story caused a furore and led to residents and politicians from the village demanding a retraction. The newspaper stood by its story.
Now, almost five months later, The Irish News has learned that a number of measures have been put in place to improve Newbuildings' image.
These include a decision to allow paint on kerbstones to fade and to eventually paint them grey, as well as a number of cross-community projects.
Resident and community worker Jeanette Warke said: "To be honest, it was negative when you [The Irish News] did that article and we all tore into you, but I think you really did us a favour.
"I think you highlighted what was underlying and what we did not want to say.
"So then we took ownership of the problem and are doing something about it."
Fr Aiden Mullan, parish priest in Derry's Waterside, acknowledged that the situation in Newbuildings has improved, but said Catholics would still not feel safe returning to live there.
He said that while the summer was undoubtedly quieter than in previous years, there were some instances of low-level vandalism.
Trouble also returned last week following the Tyrone football team's All-Ireland final victory.
In the three days after the Red Hand county's win, six attacks on Tyrone supporters were reported.
All happened when cars bearing GAA emblems stopped at traffic lights on the main road through the village.
Alison Wallace, a Newbuildings community worker, said efforts were being made to prevent future attacks.
She said young people in the
village viewed the flying of GAA flags as sectarian and triumphalist, but community leaders say they have been patrolling areas where teenagers gather.
Seamus McCloy, chairman of Derry county GAA board, said he would be willing to meet anyone to discuss issues pertaining to the GAA as a sporting and non-sectarian organisation open to all.
