Northern Ireland

SDLP yet to say who'll represent the party at Armagh centenary service

Colum Eastwood confirmed the SDLP would attend the centenary church service but the party has yet to say who will go. Picture by Hugh Russell
Colum Eastwood confirmed the SDLP would attend the centenary church service but the party has yet to say who will go. Picture by Hugh Russell Colum Eastwood confirmed the SDLP would attend the centenary church service but the party has yet to say who will go. Picture by Hugh Russell

THE SDLP has said it has yet to decide who will represent the party at next week's centenary church service in Armagh.

Colum Eastwood confirmed last week that the SDLP would accept an invitation to the October 21 interdenominational service, which is due to take place in St Patrick's Church of Ireland cathedral.

The event, which will mark the centenary of partition and the formation of Northern Ireland, has been mired in controversy since President Michael D Higgins said last month that he would not be attending.

Unionists were critical of the president's decision, which he said was due to difficulties with the title of the event, which he felt was a "political statement".

The Irish government will be represented by Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney and chief whip Jack Chambers.

The DUP, Ulster Unionists and Alliance have confirmed that their respective party leaders plan to attend.

Sinn Féin has said it will not attend, though the party has been criticised after its Stormont Junior Minister Declan Kearney attended an event organised by the churches in Belfast last month, which he described as a “welcome opportunity which afforded Sinn Féin a platform, and also those from other perspectives, to present their analysis and experience of partition in Ireland”.

In a statement last week confirming the SDLP would be represented, Mr Eastwood said attending a service in Ireland's ecclesiastical capital “does not diminish anyone’s Irish nationalism”.

He said he understood that receiving an invitation would present a “challenging decision for some".

“I fully understand why it was not possible for President Higgins to attend the event in Armagh – as president of Ireland he has different considerations to judge,” the Foyle MP said.

However, he said his party’s decision to attend was “about stretching ourselves to heal the wounds of partition".

The party is expected to make a decision on who will go to the service over the coming days.

“The SDLP will be sending a representative to the Armagh service," a spokesperson said.

"For us this is about ending partition and convincing ordinary unionists who are open to a different future, many for the first time, that our vision is broad and inclusive. The party will confirm the representative attending in due course."