First Minister defends decision to attend Belfast commemoration

FIRST Minister Michelle O’Neill has defended her historic decision to attend Remembrance Sunday commemorations in Belfast, emphasizing the importance of representing everyone in her role and fostering unity across communities.

Yesterday (Sunday) morning, Ms O’Neill laid a laurel wreath to honour those from across Ireland who died in the two world wars and subsequent conflicts.

Earlier in the week, more than 100 relatives of people who were killed by state forces and loyalist paramilitaries had signed a letter that voiced their objections to her participation. But the Sinn Féin vice president said she attended the service to remember people from across Ireland who lost their lives in World War One and in subsequent conflicts and to ‘build bridges’ and build a ‘united society’.

“Today, I will attend the Remembrance event at Belfast City Hall to remember the tens of thousands of people from across our island who lost their lives in the First World War and in subsequent conflicts,” Ms O’Neill said.

“As First Minister for all, I am committed to representing everyone equally.

“Through my words and actions, I will honour that commitment.”

Signatories of the letter criticising her decision included Paula McElduff, wife of Omagh Sinn Fein councillor Barry McElduff. Her brother, Patrick Kelly, was killed by the SAS at Loughall in 1987.

Other people to have signed the letter include the family of hunger striker, Martin Hurson. His nephew, independent Clogher Valley councillor Kevin McElvogue, described Ms O’Neill’s decision to attend the commemoration as a ‘disgrace’.

Also opposing the First Minister’s attendance was the family of IRA volunteer Neil Lafferty, who died in 1975.

‘betrayal’

In a statement released to the Tyrone Herald, the Lafferty family and the chair of the local Joseph Plunkett 1916 Republican Society (Clady-Glebe) said, “On behalf of our family and countless others who have endured unimaginable suffering at the hands of British forces, we express our deep disappointment and disgust… For any republican – let alone the leader of a so-called republican party – to stand side-by-side with those who inflicted decades of brutality upon our people is a betrayal beyond words.”