Northern Ireland

Co Tyrone anti-GAA banner condemned

An anti-GAA poster has been put up in Dungannon
An anti-GAA poster has been put up in Dungannon An anti-GAA poster has been put up in Dungannon

THE GAA has condemned a banner put up in Co Tyrone linking the association to the IRA.

It is understood it was erected near the entrance to the Coolhill estate on the Gortmerron Link Road in Dungannon on Saturday.

Nailed to a roadside fence in the loyalist area, it reads: “GAA: The sporting wing of the IRA - not welcome in this area”.

The small banner, which appears to have been commercially produced, also includes an image of an Armalite rifle - a weapon associated with the IRA - and a GAA jersey produced to mark the 1916 Rising.

PSNI Chief Inspector Nigel Henry said police “are treating this as a hate incident, and enquiries are ongoing”.

During the Troubles several members of the GAA were murdered by loyalist paramilitary groups.

A spokesman for the GAA at Croke Park said last night: “This is an extremely disappointing development and a gross misrepresentation of the association and its legion of members and volunteers across the island and further afield.

“The GAA is a non-party political, anti-sectarian, anti-racist organisation whose games and activities are open to all.

“It is working harder than ever to foster inclusion and diversity across its membership base.”

In recent years the relationship between the GAA and unionists has started to thaw.

In 2018 First Minister Arlene Foster attended the Ulster football final in Clones, a game that involved her home county of Fermanagh.

He predecessor Peter Robinson also attended a McKenna Cup final in Armagh in 2012.

Sinn Féin MP Michelle Gildernew condemned the "threatening and sectarian" banner.

"Over the course of recent months we have unfortunately witnessed an intensification of the campaign against the GAA from some sections of loyalism,” she said.

“The GAA is inclusive and open, it welcomes all sections of society to participate in its games.”

Independent councillor Barry Monteith described the display as "hatred of Irish people for being Irish in Ireland”.

“The GAA is one of the institutions of our Irish culture and identity," he said.

“For this to appear in 2020 is abhorrent. Irish people will not be intimidated in their own land.”

Aontu councillor Denise Mullen, whose family has close GAA connections, also described the banner as “blatant sectarianism”.

“Where are the community leaders in that area to negotiate taking it down?" she said.

“We need to find out who is paying for these things.”

SDLP councillor Malachy Quinn also said he had been contacted by unionist and nationalist residents who are "disgusted by this banner".

“These signs are an attempt by a very small minority to intimidate people from a unionist background away from the GAA and to stop the integration of our communities. They will not succeed," he said.