‘Off message’ Sinn Fein councillor deletes offensive Duke of Edinburgh post

Following the death of Prince Philip on Friday, Mid and East Antrim councillor James McKeown (Seamas MacEoin) posted a message on Facebook, making a joke of his passing.

Linking the duke’s death to the return of Rangers FC from administration and going on to win a 55th Scottish league title, Mr McKeown said: “Wonder if Prince Philip will come back the same person after dying saying he’s 55 and still going strong.”

Mr McKeown ended the message with emojis of laughing faces and the Irish tricolour.

East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson said it called Sinn Fein’s “respect agenda” into question.

In a Twitter message on Monday, posted along with an image of Mr McKeown’s message, the DUP representative said: “Quite disgusting comments from @sinnfeinireland councillor James McKeown following the death of HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

“The respect agenda evaporating by the day. Will action be taken?”

Mr McKeown’s message has since been removed from Facebook, but not before it attracted a number of scathing comments.

One Twitter message said: “And so it goes on, I just despair, honestly it’s like a play school playground.

“No sorry that’s wrong the kids there are better behaved and have more decorum and manners.”

Among more than 100 responses, one person posted: “Never agreed with you before Sammy about anything: this is simply unacceptable.”

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