Anger as Sinn Fein targets schools for Irish signs, while blocking Ulster Scots: Nationalists 'bat away hand of friendship' over massive shared campus in Omagh
Sinn Fein has demanded Irish signs be plastered onto shared schools – while simultaneously blocking Ulster Scots.
The move has sparked anger from unionists, who claim the nationalist party has batted away “the hand of friendship across the political divide”.
The issue centres around Strule Shared Education Campus in Omagh. Currently under construction and due to open in September 2028, the huge facility will house six schools comprising 4,000 pupils from a range of religious traditions and educational philosophies and is described as being centred around a spirit of collaboration and cooperation.
During a meeting of Fermanagh and Omagh Council this week, Sinn Fein insisted Irish signs should be added to the campus alongside English ones, arguing that would make the shared space “truly welcoming and reflective of the communities” it will serve.
Unionists felt that, to properly represent all communities in the area, Ulster Scots should be present as well. It’s understood they were prepared to vote in favour of adding Irish, as long as the trilingual versions of signs were built.
Sinn Fein shot that down, voting instead to only have Irish.
The nationalist party has an outright majority on the council, holding 52.5% of its seats. According to UUP councillor Victor Warrington, Sinn Fein didn’t engage in any proper debate over the issue, ploughing straight ahead to strike out Ulster Scots without explaining why.
Mr Warrington told the News Letter that Alliance and the SDLP broadly agreed with unionists on the Ulster Scots issue, but were outnumbered by Sinn Fein.
The final decision over attaching extra languages to Strule Shared Education Campus lies with Stormont’s Department of Education, though as a result of this week’s vote the area’s council is to formally request that Irish and only Irish be added to its internal and external signs.
Speaking after the vote, Mr Warrington suggested Sinn Fein’s position “sadly reveals their true intentions when it comes to extending the hand of friendship across the political divide”.
He told the News Letter: “We are repeatedly told by Sinn Fein’s First Minister, Michelle O'Neill, that unionists have nothing to fear from a united Ireland.
“When even a reasonable move is rejected out of hand, it only reinforces why so many within the unionist community remain deeply sceptical of those assurances.
“Actions speak louder than words. If there is a genuine desire to build trust, respect differing opinions and foster reconciliation, that commitment must be reflected in how political debate is conducted, not simply in carefully crafted soundbites.
“Our move sought to ensure that a genuinely shared education campus is welcoming and representative of everyone. Rejecting constructive engagement sends the opposite message and does little to convince unionists that their voices, concerns or identity would be respected in the future.”
It’s not the first time Sinn Fein has sparked controversy over Ulster Scots signs, with the party recently setting back the first attempt in years to build some on Belfast streets.
Since the capital city adopted its current system for dual language signs more than three years ago, only Irish has been built. In April a move to survey four unionist areas for Ulster Scots after residents voted against Irish was postponed, when Sinn Fein demanded a new rule that could see two of them retested for Irish first.