Criticism of use of publicly-owned building to promote former IRA bomb convict's autobiography - as council refuses to comment citing GDPR
The use of a publicly-owned building to promote a book by former IRA convict has come under fire – though the authority responsible will not comment, citing data protection rights.
The planned event this Saturday is a fundraising book-signing by Martina Anderson in Kilrea Town Hall, south-east Co Londonderry.
The book in question is her recently-published autobiography ‘Choosing the Struggle’, which is described in promotional material as “a powerful account of a life shaped by struggle, comradeship, resilience and the refusal to remain silent”.
"Come along to hear first-hand Martina’s experience and pick up your copy,” adds the post on Mrs Anderson’s Facebook page.
"Proceeds from the book will go towards helping build a monument to the late Martin McGuinness.
"We look forward to seeing you there.”
The venue is listed as Kilrea Town Hall at 7pm.
This hall contains within it the town’s public library – and Mrs Anderson’s post had originally specified that it was in the library part of the hall.
She has since deleted that part of her post.
Communities minister Gordon Lyons, who is in charge of the Province’s public libraries, has subsequently insisted that the event is definately not taking place in the library part of the hall.
He added that he would never allow such tihng on library premises.
The overall Kilrea Town Hall is controlled by Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.
People can book various parts of the hall (the Ken Woods Room, Main Hall, Committee Room and more) via the council, and the Causeway Coast and Glens Asset Register lists the building as being under council ownership (though, unusually, it only lists the ground floor).
North Antrim MP Jim Allister has now written to the council, voicing his “strong objection and disappointment that it is to take place in a council property”, and demanding to know “what consideration – if any – was given to the fact that this was not only a blatantly party political event but one which has profound ramifications for community relations, given the author’s involvement in terrorism”.
Minister Lyons wrote: “Let’s be honest about who Martina Anderson is.
"In 1986 she was convicted of conspiring to cause explosions in England and rightly sentenced to life in prison, released only in 1998 under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.
"She was a member of an active IRA cell. The same IRA that caused havoc across the UK and beyond.
"I will never lend any support, endorsement, or public platform to the promotion of her book.
"None.”
Mrs Anderson is a former MLA and MEP, and describes herself as a “former prisoner of war”.
She is also Sinn Fein’s current “national development and training co-ordinator”.
Among the revelations contained in her book are that she once had an abortion so her baby would not interfere with her IRA campaign.
Mrs Anderson (and other republican figures) subsequently said much of the ensuing attacks on her were motivated by “misogyny”.
On her Facebook page, the main image bears the slogan: “Well behaved women rarely make history.”