SDLP just dancing to unionism’s tune over play park issue: MP

A ROW erupted last night after Sinn Fein accused the SDLP of “dancing to the tune of the Orange Order” over the renaming of Raymond McCreesh Park in Newry.

The leadership of the SDLP earlier this week said its councillors in Newry, Mourne and Down District Council should propose the renaming of the park if “the matter is not resolved in the coming weeks”.

However, Sinn Fein MP Mickey Brady hit out at the party for its “new-found opposition” to the naming of the park after the IRA man, who was one of 10 republicans who died in the 1981 hunger strike.

The Newry and Armagh MP said: “Over recent days and weeks we have seen increasingly vitriolic statements from a number of SDLP representatives calling for the Raymond McCreesh Park to be renamed.

“In so doing, they are ignoring the fact that the overwhelming majority of people from the Ballybot area believe that the name

Statement: Mickey Brady

should remain unchanged. They are also ignoring the fact that, when the park was renamed in 2001, the council was dominated by unionists and the SDLP.

“It is unfortunate that the SDLP have now ditched their own position in order to dance to the Orange Order’s tune with their new-found opposition to the naming of the park.

“It is also a huge disservice to the local residents whose wishes the SDLP are blatantly ignoring in order to try and curry favour with unionism and the Orange Order.”

Responding, the SDLP said: “Mickey Brady needs to calm down.

“We know Mr Brady has plenty of time on his hands to spend ranting about the SDLP instead of taking his seat in Westminster to fight against Brexit.

“But Mr Brady should be reminded that all of us involved in political life have a responsibility not to retraumatise victims who have already suffered so much because of our violent past.

“Mr Brady should think before he starts issuing angry Press releases, particularly when Sinn Fein supported the SDLP position to deal with the issue via the play park strategy.”

Earlier this month a unionist motion calling for a change to the Newry play park’s controversial name went before Newry, Mourne and Down District Council.

The move was defeated after councillors voted to pass an amendment to wait until a process — agreed in December — concludes on what should happen over the play park’s contentious name.