TUV comments on Robinson's GAA visit
30 January 2012
Statement by TUV Leader Jim Allister:-
“Nationalists, never mind Unionists, could be forgiven for wondering what is the DUP’s real position on the politically driven GAA. A few weeks ago Ian McCrea MLA rejoiced in defeat for Tyrone, Gregory Campbell regularly, and properly, objects to multiple GAA grounds being named in honour of IRA terrorists, but Nelson McCausland lavished £60m on the GAA as Sports Minister last year and now Peter Robinson happily sits under the tricolour to watch two teams play whose county officials boycotted the Queen’s visit to Croke Park!
“Moreover the GAA from Counties Tyrone and Londonderry, and Armagh where the match was played, are among the most ardent in glorying dead terrorists – the hurling club in Dungiven is named after hunger striker Kevin Lynch; another hunger striker, Martin Hurson, is celebrated every year in Tyrone through a memorial cup named in his honour; likewise in Armagh the Michael McVerry cup honours a terrorist shot while bombing Keady Police Station; the Gerard and Martin Harte Memorial cup celebrates in Tyrone IRA brothers shot by the SAS; the Loughgall bombers are celebrated with the Paddy Kelly cup played for in Dungannon; the GAA Park in Dromintee, south Armagh is named after IRA members Jim Lochrie and Sean Campbell who were killed when a land mine exploded prematurely; IRA members, Bateson, Sheridan, and Lee, who blew themselves up as they primed a bomb, intended for the centre of Magherafelt in the early 70s, have a yearly GAA event called after them in south Londonderry, where terrorist Francis Hughes has a trophy named after him.
“Once these things mattered – indeed at one time Nelson McCausland made an empty threat to withdraw GAA funding because of these calculated insults to innocent victims – but now his leader can sit oblivious to all this to cheer on teams from counties which epitomise the ease with which the GAA celebrates IRA terror.
“Where will the leader of Nua DUP go next? Is a Gay Pride parade on the agenda?”
