Northern Ireland

Families of IRA victims demand apology from New York mayor over 'Gerry Adams Day'

Gerry Adams is presented with a certificate by New York mayor Bill de Blasio
Gerry Adams is presented with a certificate by New York mayor Bill de Blasio Gerry Adams is presented with a certificate by New York mayor Bill de Blasio

RELATIVES of IRA victims have sent a joint letter to the Mayor of New York demanding he apologise for his honouring of Gerry Adams on St Patrick's Day.

There was an outcry among unionists when Bill De Blasio announced he was re-naming the patron saint's day as 'Gerry Adams Day' during an annual breakfast event at his residence.

Austin Stack, whose prison officer father Brian was killed by the IRA in Dublin in 1983, said he has already sent a letter highlighting his concerns.

Now a group of families, including Michelle Williamson who lost her parents George and Gillian in the 1993 Shankill bomb, have sent an open letter calling on Mr De Blasio to "withdraw his comments" and issue a public apology.

Other signatories include Ann McCabe, the widow of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe who was shot dead in Co Limerick in 1996.

The letter, published in the Belfast Telegraph, accuses the mayor of having a "callous disregard for the tens of thousands of innocent victims/survivors".

"Have you any understanding of the impact of your actions have had upon upon those of us whose lives were devastated by the Provisional IRA's murderous actions?"

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was present when Mr Adams received the "proclamation" certificate in which the patron saint's day was re-branded in his honour.

Mr de Blasio said Mr Adams was an "activist" who "fought against injustice".

"He understood there’s no place in the world any more for colonialism and he fought against that with all that he had," he added.