Fury at tribute plan for Mairead Farrell
By Claire McNeilly
Saturday, February 23, 2008
The Sinn Fein MLA who organised a memorial service for a convicted IRA bomber at Stormont has defended the plan.
Jennifer McCann sparked fury among unionists after she booked the Long Gallery inside Parliament Buildings for an event dedicated to IRA bomber Mairead Farrell.
She said that the event was scheduled to coincide with International Women’s Day, which is on March 8.
Mrs McCann said that she did not intend to offend unionists, but nor did she expect them to back her plans.
“It’s not about agreeing,” she said. “I’m not asking anyone to agree with what I am doing, but I am saying they should respect it. Stormont is a shared space and that’s the way it has to be seen.
“We have a right to hold the celebration there. I would never, ever say to unionists or loyalists that they should or should not be doing something.”
She added: “It’s International Women’s Day and we’re celebrating the life of Mairead Farrell. I don’t think that should offend anyone.”
But unionists vowed to block the celebration of Farrell, one of three IRA members shot dead by the SAS in Gibraltar in 1988.
North Belfast DUP MLA Nelson McCausland branded the plans as “ludicrous” , and that they demonstrated “warped thinking”.
“Mairead Farrell was a Provisional IRA bomber who was intercepted by the forces of law and order on her way to kill innocent people in Gibraltar.
“For Jennifer McCann to claim that an event celebrating the life of such a criminal has anything to do with International Women’s Day is quite frankly ludicrous.
“People like Farrell and her fellow terrorists in the IRA killed hundreds of innocent women throughout the course of their campaign of terror.
“To hold such a person up as a role model demonstrates some of warped thinking.
“The DUP will oppose this event taking place.
“As the home of our local assembly, Stormont is a shared public space.”
'So venceremos, beidh bua againn eigin lá eigin. Sealadaigh abú.'
--Bobby Sands