Poster at Clough school ‘racist and intimidatory’

Poster at Clough school ‘racist and intimidatory’

8 February 2023

NEWRY, Mourne and Down Council has condemned the erection of a poster outside Clough’s  Cumran Primary School which has been described as “racist and intimidatory”.

The handmade sign made reference to children learning Irish and had been erected on a fence close to the main school entrance.

The issue was discussed at the local authority’s monthly meeting on Monday night with debate on a Sinn Fein motion proceeding after a council lawyer warned politicians to be conscious that the incident was still being investigated by police and not to make any references to the specifics of what happened or any alleged participants.

Unionists argued the motion should not have been discussed, claiming it would only bring about division and was another attempt by Sinn Fein to politicise the Irish language.

Republicans insisted the motion was not about finger pointing or trying to get anyone in trouble, but a united call for opposition about what happened outside the rural primary school.

At the conclusion of a 30-minute debate, the motion was passed by 29 votes to five with two abstentions. Sinn Fein, SDLP and Alliance supported it, with the DUP against and the UUP abstaining.

Sinn Fein Slieve Croob councillor Jim Brennan labelled what happened as a “blatant incident of anti-Irish racism” accusing those responsible of “despicably taking aim at schoolchildren and their families, sinisterly naming a school and attempting to intimidate”.

He argued that “such naked displays of hate” have no place in the tolerant and inclusive Ireland many are working hard to build and that what happened in Clough was an attempt to “mark out territory and intimidate people driving through the village.”

He continued: “It’s about time we said enough is enough. As representatives and leaders in our communities we have a duty to stand against this type of racist behaviour and show leadership.  Shared education is a valued and respected part of our education system.”

Cllr Brennan added: “The fact that any school would be singled out and targeted in an incident like this is shocking and a throwback to darker days and while some might like to take us back to those darker days, they won’t succeed.”

The DUP’s Glyn Hanna argued the motion should not have been discussed as it “brings division” and accused Sinn Fein of using it to “promote its own agenda”.

He continued: “Children should never be exposed to anything like this at all. This issue is part of a police investigation and we await the result. I believe it it it is wrong for the council to declare this as sinister and it is totally wrong. It is a waste of time that we are even considering this. This incident is regrettable.”

Cllr Hanna added: “Irish speakers are welcome to speak Irish and the the people who put up this poster are entitled to their views and are entitled to put up posters. Whether it is legal or illegal is up to the police. This motion is over the top and it should never have come to this council. We will not be supporting it.”

SDLP councillor Hugh Gallagher said “concerned and worried parents” had contacted him about what happened and labelled the incident as “tantamount to a hate crime”.

He added: “What happened causes division in the community, fear and anxiety. There is no need for this and to put up anything anywhere, irrespective of where it is, its not right. We are talking about children within an educational system and a school that is highly recommended and does a lot of work for the community. This is just not right.”

Alliance’s Andy McMurray said those who would seek children “to stumble out of their predisposition to tolerance” was incredibly upsetting for him.

He added: “As for marking out territory, I have no doubt that this is what this was and is not conducive to a shared society.”

UUP councillor David Taylor said what happened was “wrong”, but also questioned the motion’s assertion that what happened was “marking out territory”.

Cllr Taylor added: “We need to send a clear signal that what happened was wrong and I believe the language used in the motion sends out conflicting messages. I am also not aware of any campaign of intimidation in this particular area.”

TUV councillor Harold McKee said he “honestly and genuinely” believed Sinn Fein was using what happened as a means of politicising the Irish language.