![]() ![]() This week, Stephen O’Neill (Trinity College Dublin) examines the Britain in Pictures series and the government created narrative of British national unity during and after the Second World War.Īppearing, as Viola Garvin wrote, ‘Not three months after that bad night when Hitler’s bombers lit the second fire of London and destroyed the centre of the English book world’, the largely forgotten Britain in Pictures series was the flagship Second World War enterprise of British publishing house Collins. Mr Lyons said if the party's leadership was truly focused on repairing the damage it would commit to working with all other parties to restore the Stormont assembly.‘Bright banners on the battlements of our island fortress’: the Scottish and Irish ‘stories’ of Britain in Pictures ![]() "It is clear however that a drop in support has pressed those who take the decisions within Sinn Fein to stop defending the banner and belatedly send Mary Lou McDonald out to issue this supposed apology." "It is testament to Sinn Féin's place on the sidelines of politics that gaffes by their new president have been their most significant contribution to politics in recent months. The DUP said Ms McDonald's apology was motivated by poll ratings rather than remorse.Įast Antrim MLA Gordon Lyons said: "Mary Lou McDonald's apology is a cynical response to falling poll ratings rather than any acknowledgement of remorse. "Far from apologising for it, I wear that political position as a badge of honour," she said. On the political sentiment behind the banner, Ms McDonald said she would not apologise for being "a united Irelander" and for wanting unity and democracy across Ireland. "Many of them live amongst us, they are our neighbours and our friends, so certainly I apologise to anybody who felt that the banner was intended in that way, and I'm happy to clarify that it's not. and English people are very welcome in Ireland. "Indeed I have blood relatives myself who are English. for anybody who felt that it was directed at English people I just want to reassure them that that's not the case. Speaking on RTÉ Radio 1 she said: "I suppose all of us have to be conscious of not just what we say and what is meant, but also what is heard and what is understood."Īsked whether she was inching towards an apology, she replied: "I don't have to inch towards anything. She described the slogan as a "fairly blunt statement at any time". "I know it was taken by some to be directed at English people. "It's a very direct political statement, it's an anti-partition statement. On Monday Ms McDonald said: "In respect of St Patrick's Day, I think it starts certainly a conversation around that banner which has been up and down Fifth Avenue for a generation. Read More: Sinn Féin says 'England Get Out of Ireland' banner criticism is 'faux outrage'Īn opinion poll published by the Sunday Business Post over the weekend showed support for Sinn Fein had dropped by five points to 13 per cent. Her actions were described as offensive and divisive by Ireland's Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney. The Dublin Central TD was condemned for helping carry the sign last month in New York City's annual parade to mark the Irish national holiday. "For anybody who felt that it was directed at English people, I just want to reassure them that that's not the case," she said. Mary Lou McDonald moved to reassure the public that its message was not directed at English people. The leader of Sinn Féin has apologised for marching behind an "England Get Out of Ireland" banner on St Patrick's Day.
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