Sinn Féin has said it played no role in the funeral of veteran Derry republican, Eamon 'Peggy' McCourt at which coronavirus rules appeared to have been broken by large crowds which gathered outside the church.
Pictures from yesterday’s funeral provoked an angry online reaction from unionists and loyalists with many comparing it to last year’s funeral of Belfast republican, Bobby Storey.
Mr McCourt (62) died with Covid-19 on Saturday. A leading member of the republican movement in Derry, he was involved in one of the most notorious incidents of the troubles in 1981. The Derry man was shot and wounded by the SAS when they opened fire on a car at Southway in the city’s Creggan area. Two IRA men, George McBrearty and Charles ‘Pop’ Maguire, who were also in the car, were shot and killed in the incident.
As Mr McCourt’s coffin, draped in a Tricolour, was carried from his home to St Mary’s church, it was flanked by what has been described as a family “guard of honour”. Family members were dressed in black and white shirts, similar to those worn by republican colour parties in the past. The guard of honour also flanked the cortege as it made its way to Derry city cemetery.
Pictures of the guard of honour with a large number of people following the cortege were compared on social media with the funeral of senior republican, Bobby Storey last June.
Senior members of Sinn Féin, including party president, Mary Lou McDonald and deputy first minister, Michele O’Neill, were criticised for attending Mr Storey’s funeral. The republican movement was widely criticised for breaching Covid-19 regulations covering numbers attending funerals and social distancing.
However, Sinn Féin said it was not involved in Mr McCourt’s funeral. Instead, the party organised an online tribute to Mr McCourt which was shared on social media last night. The Tricolour was also flown at half-mast at the republican monument at Shantallow yesterday.
A party spokesman said: “Eamon McCourt’s funeral was organised by his family. Sinn Féin will be holding its own tribute to his memory online.”
While large crowds accompanied yesterday’s funeral cortege, the number of family members attending his Requiem Mass was kept well within the 25-person limit demanded by coronavirus regulations.
Creggan parish priest, Fr Joe Gormley asked stewards to close the church doors at the start of the funeral Mass. He also appealed, through the church PA system, to those gathered outside the church to observe Covid-19 rules.
“At the heart of Majella (Mr McCourt’s wife) and family is that this funeral will be one which will be of dignity to Eamon and also that everyone will be safe at it. It would be very important for those who are outside, please, please maintain social distance. It’s very important that no family goes through what Eamon’s family is going through at the minute,” Fr Gormley said.
DUP Assembly member for Foyle Gary Middleton said: “These scenes from another republican funeral will be greeted with dismay by the vast majority of the public who have abided by the letter of the law throughout Covid-19.
“It is hard to put into words the sheer recklessness of those involved.
“The reality of Covid-19 is that restrictions on funerals are difficult and even painful for grieving families, but they have been put in place for an important reason. Many families have faced such grief without the wider support of family and friends present as would be the case normally.
“Within republicanism it seems that certain individuals are viewed as being more important than public health regulations.”
He added: “Such sights are most painful for relatives who have recognised the need for such painful restrictions to be put in place and have abided by them.”
DUP Policing Board member Trevor Clarke added: “The PSNI need to explain their actions, or repeated inaction in such situations.
“The Chief Constable (Simon Byrne) needs to detail whether officers had knowledge of arrangements for this funeral and explain the inaction of police."
A PSNI spokesman said: “Police monitored a funeral procession in Derry/Londonderry today in a sensitive manner to ensure compliance with the current health protection regulations.
“Officers engaged with some of those in attendance and gave appropriate advice in respect of the regulations. Any evidence of breaches will be gathered for consideration of submission to the Public Prosecution Service.”
