John O’Dowd’s bogus comparison of Northern Ireland and South Africa suggests he has no experience of apartheid

A letter from George McNally:
By George McNally
Published 9th May 2021, 05:43 BST
Updated 9th May 2021, 05:59 BST
White people and black people on a legally designated 'whites only' beach in Cape Province, South Africa during the apartheid era. 1984. There was no such formal segregation of the two main communities in Northern Ireland,writes George McNallyWhite people and black people on a legally designated 'whites only' beach in Cape Province, South Africa during the apartheid era. 1984. There was no such formal segregation of the two main communities in Northern Ireland,writes George McNally
White people and black people on a legally designated 'whites only' beach in Cape Province, South Africa during the apartheid era. 1984. There was no such formal segregation of the two main communities in Northern Ireland,writes George McNally

Sinn Féin’s John O’Dowd’s comments during a debate in the Stormont Assembly (‘O’Dowd: Law governing NI was envy of apartheid SA,’ May 4, see link below)where he compares aspects of living in Northern Ireland with the apartheid regime of South Africa fill me with despair.

My first experience of apartheid was in a Cape Town cinema in 1965 when I inadvertently sat in the black and coloured section. A charming, smiling usherette came over to tap me on the shoulder and asked me to join the white section.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Never did I have to sit in the unionist section of St Columb’s Hall in Derry where I grew up.

Letter to the editorLetter to the editor
Letter to the editor

This cinema was known as the bug ranch because the fleas were as prolific as the westerns. I walked the whites only beaches of South Africa.

but never found one in Northern Ireland where unionists were in one enclosure and republicans in an other.

The unionist controlled Londonderry Corporation did gerrymander the electoral wards to try and maintain a majority. Successive unionist governments committed many indiscretions but not on the scale of South African apartheid.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Sinn Fein party (we ourselves) exalts the ideology of Irish republicanism as sacrosanct and unchallengeable. History is re-written for political purposes. Republican funerals are above the law. The burial wishes of Bobby Sands were subservient to the republican credo.

Now John O’Dowd pontificates about South African apartheid of which he has neither experience, insight or understanding and condemns unionism by bogus association.

I despair of Sinn Féin’s all Ireland socialist republic where I know there will be no comfortable place for me.

George McNally, Londonderry

Sinn Fein man: NI state’s law was the envy of racist apartheid regime

——— ———

A message from the Editor:

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers — and consequently the revenue we receive — we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to newsletter.co.uk and enjoy unlimited access to the best Northern Ireland and UK news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.

Alistair Bushe

Editor

Related topics:John O'Dowd'sNorthern IrelandSouth Africa