‘Nothing has been learned from previous Dublin snub to unionists’ says DUP as gardai banned from wearing uniforms at RIC ceremony

The DUP says that it looks like no lessons have been learnt from Michael D Higgins’ “snub” towards unionists last year over a cross-community centenary service.
A badge of the RIC crestA badge of the RIC crest
A badge of the RIC crest

The party made the comments after the News Letter revealed that senior Gardai officers were barred from wearing their uniforms at a centenary commemoration for the Royal Irish Constabulary in London on Friday.

Several superintendents got a message from Garda headquarters in Dublin on the eve of the event, which was held in Wellington Barracks in the UK capital, not to put on their uniforms.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The officers had travelled over from the Republic with their uniforms for the religious service entitled: ‘Lives Lost In Service With The Royal Irish Constabulary 1836- 1922’.

A spokesperson for the Department of Justice declined to comment and referred the News Letter to the Garda press office for a response.

A Garda spokesperson said the force did not issue any such directive and that the query should be referred to the Department of Justice.

Now DUP man Mervyn Storey has weighed in, telling the News Letter: “The Irish Government needs to come clean about this and explain why such an order was issued in relation to an entirely non-political civic event marking events 100 years ago.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“It seems nothing has been learned from President Higgins’ snub of the cross-community service marking the centenary of Northern Ireland and the previous u-turn on commemorating the RIC in Dublin itself.

“This is the ‘new Ireland’ that those demanding a border poll want to take us towards.

“The election on Thursday provides a clear choice for people in Northern Ireland.

“The DUP has a five-point plan to build a better Northern Ireland within the Union or see further division and uncertainty through Sinn Fein’s border poll plans.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Michael D Higgins, who has held the post of Irish president for 11 years, declined to attend a cross-community event in Armagh Anglican Cathedral at the end of October.

He was invited by a body called the Church Leader Group, which included top Catholic and Protestant clergy.

Mr Higgins declared that what had started out as “an invitation to a religious service had in fact become a political statement”, citing this as his reason for not going.

More from this reporter: