Sinn Féin TD ‘sorry’ for tweet on IRA attacks
A SENIOR Sinn Féin TD was last night forced into an apology after posting a controversial tweet about the deaths of British soldiers in Ireland.
Brian Stanley, who chairs the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee, posted to his 3,700 followers: “kilmicheal (sic) (1920) and narrow water (1979) the 2 IRA operations that taught the elite of (the) British army and the establishment the cost of occupying Ireland. Pity for everyone they were such slow learners.”
Kilmichael in Co Cork was an IRA ambush in 1920 in which 17 Auxiliaries died, while 18 soldiers were killed in the Provo ambush at Narrow Water near Warrenpoint in 1979.
The tweet sparked outrage from IRA victims and unionist politicians,
Northern Ireland’s First Minister Arlene Foster said she would be contacting the Dáil’s Ceann Comhairle about the comments.
She said: “Although deleted, it is outrageous that someone with such warped views can hold a senior position in the Dáil. Sinn Féin talk about respect and equality but there’s not much sign of respect for victims.”
Mr Stanley later deleted his tweet and said: “I apologise for the content of an inappropriate and insensitive tweet I sent yesterday.”
Kenny Donaldson, of Innocent Victims United, said: “For a Sinn Féin TD to continue to eulogise these events in 2020 is depraved and sickening and highly insulting to the families broken by these heinous events, particularly the Narrow Water massacre, where first and second generation relatives are still alive, as well as many of the surviving injured.”
Sinn Féin said last night: “We note that Brian Stanley has deleted a tweet that was inappropriate and insensitive, and that he has apologised.”
The party added: “We all have a responsibility in this decade of centenaries to remember and commemorate the past in a respectful manner.”