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School removes O'Neills logo from PE kit over GAA links

AN integrated school in Co tyrone has excluded the O'neills sportswear logo from its new Pe kit because of the company's links to the gaa.

Omagh integrated Primary School received "strong concerns" from some parents after announcing its new tops would be made by the company.

O'neills, which has a plant in Strabane, manufactures kits for many of Ireland's gaa clubs but also creates clothes for other sports including rugby, cricket and hockey. An assembly member last night said the objections showed a "level of ignorance" among some parents about the gaa.

However, O'neills said it had "no problem" with removing its logo from Pe kits when schools made such a request. In a letter to parents, Omagh integrated principal Nigel Cairns, above, confirmed the company branding would not be included on the sports tops.

"Some parents have voiced strong concerns about the inclusion of the O'neills logo on the proposed garments," he wrote.

"there is a widely held perception that the O'neills brand is synonymous with gaa and this appears to have stirred certain views." The letter sparked criticism of the school after it was shared on social networking websites.

Mr Cairns yesterday denied excluding the O'neills brand but later confirmed it had been replaced by the school logo.

"the logo has been replaced by our school logo so i take your point if you are understanding exclusion as a leaving out," he said.

"Unfortunately the word itself is very strong and in this particular situation has connotations of being 'banned', which is not the case." An O'neills representative visited the school on Monday to take orders for the new Pe kit.

Mr Cairns stressed that the school community was "very happy with the quality, price and service from O'neills".

Half of the school's pupils are from a Catholic background, compared to 30 per cent Protestant and 20 per cent from other backgrounds.

Sinn Fein MLa for West tyrone Barry Mcelduff said he was "surprised and shocked" by the move.

"The fact that this issue arose in the first place reveals that there is a level of ignorance on the part of some parents about the true character of the gaa," he said.

"i would love it if they could benefit from a training programme showing the true inclusive nature of the gaa." in his letter Mr Cairns said the gaa accounted for only eight per cent of O'neills' business and pointed out that it supplies kits to the predominantly Protestant Stranmillis University College. The company also supplies the Ireland cricket team and rugby clubs including english premiership side Harlequins.

O'neills managing director Kieran Kennedy said the company provides sportswear for a wide range of sports and organisations including schools.

"From time to time schools have issues with sports companies' branding on school product," he said.

"if they request that there is to be no brand identity on their Pe kit, we have no problem accommodating them.

"We have done this for many schools in the north, south and the UK over the past 10 years." In February O'neills was inadvertently embroiled in controversy after an EastEnders ac-tress wore a Pe top the firm made for St Patrick's College in Ballymena.

Flag protester Willie Frazer mistakenly described it as a gaa top and sparked outrage after comparing its use in the soap to promoting the Ku Klux Klan or nazism.

* CONCERNS: Above, the letter sent to parents explaining the school's decision to have the O'Neills logo removed from its PE gear. The O'Neills brand is synonymous with the GAA but it also supplies the Irish cricket team and various rugby clubs