Sinn Fein Contempt for All Things British Exposed Again
08 April 2013
Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:
“This year marks the 400th anniversary of King James I granting a Charter to Londonderry which declared "that the city or town of Derry, for ever hereafter be and shall be named and called the city of Londonderry."
“This was a pivotal event in the history of Londonderry and is particularly important to the Unionist community of the City and indeed throughout Northern Ireland given the iconic status of Londonderry, the heroic defence of the city three quarter of a century later having inspired generations of Ulster Protestants.
“It is shameful therefore that Sinn Fein controlled DCAL is failing to celebrate this momentous occasion, a fact which has been confirmed to me in a written answer from the Minister.
“Patently Sinn Fein's aversion to all things British, including the vitalisation of Londonderry which flowed from the Royal Charter, has dictated that the Stormont Executive will ignore this pivotal event and its 400th anniversary.
“This is particularly offensive given that Londonderry holds the title of UK City of Culture this year. The fact that this coincides with the 400th anniversary of the granting of the City’s charter should be cause of major celebration. Yet it is obvious that Sinn Fein bigotry has prevented this from being the case.”
Note to editors
Mr Allister’s question and the reply received are as follows:
To ask the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure what plans her Department has to celebrate the 400th anniversary of King James I granting a Charter to Londonderry.
There are no specific plans to mark the anniversaries of the award of individual Charters. However, I have approved funding for the Ministerial Advisory Group (MAG) – Ulster Scots Academy to undertake a partnership project with the Ulster Historical Foundation, to research the impact and contribution of the award of Town Charters in the early part of the 17th Century.
This project will have a particular emphasis on the Ulster-Scots dimension to Charters awarded across the island of Ireland. The research will be used to develop a Charters award touring programme in conjunction with the Ulster Scots Agency and Foras na Gaeilge to disseminate the findings across the island.
