A man who was orphaned by the IRA as a boy has called on the hotel where had his wedding reception not to host an event glorifying a leading IRA figure.

A south down Sinn Fein group has posted a flyer for an event recounting the life story of South Down IRA 'adjutant' Paul Magorrian on 16 August.

In March, flyers said the event was due to take place in Castlewellan GAC club on the same date, however it said the flyers had been posted without its knowledge or approval.

The latest flyers, now billing the Burrendale Hotel as the new venue, were posted online on 12 July.

placeholder image — Castwellan GAC cancelled the IRA commemoration event, but the venue has now been changed to the Burrendale Hotel in Newcastle.

According to Troubles reference work Lost Lives, Paul Magorrian was an IRA member who was shot dead by the army in Castlewellan on 14 August 1974. Soldiers said he was aiming a gun at them and that a rifle was found by his side.

A newspaper report from the time described him as the "adjutant" of the South Down Brigade of the IRA.

Local SDLP MLA Paddy O'Donaghue accused the army of telling "blatant lies" about the circumstances of his death.

However An Phoblacht says that he was killed while "on active service".

A newspaper report in 1974 said: "Magorrian, who had been on the run for several months, is believed to have masterminded most of the bombings and shootings in the South Down areas since the beginning of the year...".

Reacting to the Burrendale booking, South Down DUP councillor Alan Lewis said: “Residents of Castlwellan, including those who were displaced by bomb, bullet and Intimidation, know too well the activities of Magorrian. The night he met his end he was on 'active service' preparing to attack an army and police foot patrol.”

South Down IRA Victim Sammy Heenan called on the hotel to cancel the booking.

He was sleeping early one morning in 1985 when he was awoken by the IRA shooting his father dead outside his bedroom window on their farm, just north of Castlewellan. The murder left him an orphan at 12 years of age.

Mr Heenan said: "The Burrendale Hotel is a four star hotel in good standing and frequented by both sides of communities.

"It's very disappointing that they're facilitating this celebration of the exploits of a notorious IRA gunman.

"If a group booked another hotel for a similar event in memory of Billy Wright there would be universal outrage. And rightly so.

"We have to remember the IRA in South Down, in which Magorrian played a leading role, murdered 70 people."

Mr Heenan said he had his wedding reception in the Burrendale 27 years ago and would regularly eat there with his family.

"I always regarded it as open to people to people from all sides. So I think they should follow the lead of Castlewellan GAC and cancel this event."

South Down DUP MLA Diane Forsythe MLA also highlighted the event on Facebook.

"I have been contacted by a number of people full of shock, upset and disappointment in the local community at the planned event in the Burrendale Hotel on 16 August," she said. "If you share in the concern please send your complaints directly to the hotel."

The News Letter contacted the Burrendale Hotel several times on Wednesday inviting it to comment.