CHAIRMAN of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, Cllr Thomas O’Reilly, has said he was “right to represent the people” when he wore his chain of office to an Easter Rising event.
The Sinn Fein councillor came under fire last week for wearing the chains to the 1916 commemoration in Arney, an event organised by his own party. Some called Cllr O’Reilly’s actions “inappropriate” and “divisive”, with others even called for punitive action to be taken against him.
However, a spokesman for the Council has confirmed the chairman did not breach any rules and said he had clarified his position before doing so.
“Cllr O’Reilly attended an event in Fermanagh and an event in Tyrone to commemorate the Easter Rising in his role as chairman of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council,” they said.
“The chairman had determined that in accordance with the Council constitution it was appropriate, in this year of commemoration, for the chairman to attend these events to commemorate the Easter Rising and to wear the chain of office.”
Cllr O’Reilly explained that he had attended the event in his role as chairman as, while the council had given £55,000 to events to mark both the Rising and the Somme, the Council was not hosting any official commemorative events themselves.
“I had the opportunity to do something from the chairman’s point of view,” he said. “ I believe, in the year that is in it, it was right to represent the people who wanted to remember the Easter Rising of 1916.”
“When Michael D Higgins and the Queen left a wreath at the Cenotaph, there were people who were not happy with it, and people who were happy about it. Both myself and vice-chairman Cllr Paul Robinson have done out best to represent as many people and view points as we can.”
However, many Unionists are still angry about the Council’s representation at the Sinn Fein organised event. The TUV’s Donald Crawford has gone as far to ask the Council what punitive action was being taken against the chairman.
UUP Cllr Victor Warrington also stated he shouldn’t have worn the chain of office to the Arney event.
“The Easter Rising commemorations south of the border seem to have been more inclusive than the ones up here. The commemorations here have been hijacked by republicans to further their cause,” he said.
Fellow UUP Cllr Rosemary Barton said she was “abhorred” at Cllr O’Reilly’s decision to wear the chains, stating the event was “divisive” and his actions were “antagonistic” towards the Unionist community.
“As chair of the Council his official role is to carry out ceremonial duties and represent all citizens of the council area. Unionist and indeed moderate nationalists do not believe that the 1916 Easter Rising, which involved hundreds of deaths including 40 children had any justification. Thomas O’Reilly was not representing them when he inappropriately wore the chain and laid the wreath.”
To read more.. Subscribe to current edition
Receive quality journalism wherever you are, on any device. Keep up to date from the comfort of your own home with a digital subscription.
Any time | Any place | Anywhere