Opinion

Tom Kelly: Unfortunately, I don't share the optimism that Lyra McKee's murder will lead to change

Tom Kelly

Tom Kelly

Tom Kelly is an Irish News columnist with a background in politics and public relations. He is also a former member of the Policing Board.

Secretary of State Karen Bradley and Simon Coveney TD confirmed fresh talks would begin on May 7. Picture by Hugh Russell
Secretary of State Karen Bradley and Simon Coveney TD confirmed fresh talks would begin on May 7. Picture by Hugh Russell Secretary of State Karen Bradley and Simon Coveney TD confirmed fresh talks would begin on May 7. Picture by Hugh Russell

Some people seem to have been genuinely affected by the murder of young author and journalist, Lyra McKee.

Even battle hardened commentators appear to believe her death is a watershed moment. A catalyst for change. Reluctantly, I don’t share that optimism.

The spontaneous reaction from the general congregation to the comments of the unassuming Fr Martin Magill at Lyra’s funeral service were an encouraging sign that an undercurrent of change could be afoot.

Fr Magill’s remarks have been uttered before but to a post Good Friday Agreement generation they sounded new. During the Troubles many clergy stood in pulpits officiating at the funeral of innocent victims and asked ‘Why?’

The main difference between that question in the past and Fr Martin's words is that the congregation he faced was packed with those to whom he directed his very pointed message - politicians.

Why indeed should it be that it took the murder of a young twenty nine year old woman to bring Arlene Foster and Mary Lou McDonald to the Creggan or for locals to feel the need applaud their attendance?

Arlene Foster coveted her role as first minister of Northern Ireland.

Whilst the title of first minister goes to the nominee of the party with the most seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly, it is a joint and equal role with the holder of the post of deputy first minister.

Once in office both title holders are required to serve all of the people of Northern Ireland without regard or favour to their faith or lack of it, political outlook or colour, sexuality or gender.

Of course there were glimpses of what was possible from dual stewardship but respect and cooperation between the two sides was no more than lens deep as both were merely held together by photo opportunities.

In some ways the camera-propaganda issued by the Executive office was often worthy of the craftsmanship of Leni Riefenstahl because it worked wonders for the respective masses in either a Sinn Féin or DUP silo. But a few snapshots cannot hold together a marriage that was based on mutual mistrust.

There is no depth to the DUP/Sinn Féin relationship except as in the case of Belfast City Hall where they appear to carve up power, as one cynic said, with ‘all the warmth of the Cosa Nostra dividing up the spoils’.

So the question remains: is the murder of Lyra McKee a watershed? Can it prove to be a catalyst for political change? After all, we have been here before when the shock of a particular murder can often harness a public mood. Unfortunately our history suggests that such moods are but temporary aberrations from our every day tribalism.

When interviewed by the BBC only hours after the murder in Derry, the very underwhelming Sinn Féin MP for Foyle couldn’t bring herself to ask the organisers of a dissident republican march scheduled for Easter Monday to call it off, in stark contrast to the leadership of local priest, Fr Gormley, who very eloquently did make such a call.

Could anyone imagine John Hume not stepping up to the mark in the aftermath of the Derry murder?

As pointed out in this column last week, Lyra McKee was killed by a warped ideology which was not licked off the ground. It is incumbent on all nationalist parties to address the culture within our narrative that eulogises blood sacrifice. Since 1916 more people have constructively lived to build a new Ireland rather than kill or die for it.

So too on the unionist side, where a duplicitous sense of Victorian morality combined with an ambiguous attitude to loyalist paramilitarism leads them to a fools paradise. The murder of Ian Ogle was even more horrific in its savagery than that of Lyra McKee. That said all paramilitaries are just two sides of the same coin.

Disappointedly within hours of Lyra’s funeral the DUP was pointing out that we should not confuse ‘sympathy over her murder with empathy over LGBT issues’. And this from a party that is fielding its first openly gay candidate.

There is no desire within the DUP to deliver the pluralism and diversity that is part of the social fabric of Britain. The celebration of Lyra McKee’s life was about the totality of her being - not one aspect of it. She deserves better than solely being remembered as a victim.

Whether Lyra is a catalyst for change will be known in 72 hours by the choices we make at the polls.