Politics

Sinn Féin say 'Booby Sands' leaflet was a 'typo'

The leaflet printed as part of Mary Lou McDonald's election campaign which referred to 'Booby Sands'
The leaflet printed as part of Mary Lou McDonald's election campaign which referred to 'Booby Sands' The leaflet printed as part of Mary Lou McDonald's election campaign which referred to 'Booby Sands'

A SINN Féin election leaflet with an embarrassing spelling error was not doctored and should not have been printed, a party spokesman said last night.

The leaflet featuring Sinn Féin vice-president Mary Lou McDonald referred to hunger striker and former Fermanagh and South Tyrone MP Bobby Sands as 'Booby Sands'.

Images of the election literature were widely circulated on social media.

A Sinn Féin spokesman initially told The Irish News the images of the leaflet were "totally false" and had been altered.

However, a spokesman confirmed yesterday the leaflet did have a spelling error.

"The leaflet was commissioned and printed by a local area, rather than centrally," he said.

"It contained a typo that should have prevented it from being printed or distributed. The leaflet has since been withdrawn."

Ms McDonald, a TD for Central Dublin, is expected to top the poll in her constituency when voters in the Republic cast their ballots later this month.