Another relative of an IRA victim has attacked Martin McGuinness’s bid to become President of Ireland.
Ann Travers lost her 23-year-old sister Mary in 1984 when she was shot dead by the IRA as she left Mass at a Belfast church.
Their father Tom Travers was shot six times in the IRA attack but survived.
“I do have a vote in the presidential election and I’m sure Martin isn’t surprised he won’t be getting my vote,” said Travers after travelling to Belfast to support a motion at the Northern Ireland parliament stopping those with prison records working there.
“His presence in the election is an insult to the victims of the IRA.”
The Travers family have demanded answers from McGuinness and Sinn Fein over the party’s decision to hire one of those charged with Mary’s murder.
Mary McArdle, convicted for her role in the killing, is now a special adviser to Northern Ireland’s Minister for Culture Carál Ní Chuilín. McArdle was sentenced to life imprisonment but released under the Belfast agreement.
The Travers family are publicly supporting a private member’s bill put forward by Traditional Unionist Voice leader Jim Allister.
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Read More:
A president with no power - what the Irish leader can and cannot do
Irish Republic needs Martin McGuinness says Guardian writer
Martin McGuinness confronted by son of murdered soldier
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The bill would lead to the sacking of Ms McArdle and prevent others with criminal records and carrying prison sentences of five years or more being appointed special advisers to Ministers in the Northern Executive.
McGuinness is also the subject of a fresh attack from the son of an Irish solder killed by the IRA during the attempt to rescue kidnap victim Don Tidey in 1983.
David Kelly, son of murdered soldier Patrick Kelly, first confronted McGuinness as he canvassed in Athlone on Monday.
He has now written to the Irish Times in another attempt to discredit the Sinn Fein candidate.
“After everything we have endured, it is devastating for us to see Mr McGuinness, a leading member of the PIRA terrorist movement of many years, to make an opportunistic and insensitive bid for the Irish presidency, which includes the titular title commander and chief of the Irish Defence Forces,” wrote Kelly.
The letter included another request for McGuinness to identify those who killed Kelly’s father.
“We demand the information now so that, even post the Good Friday agreement and the time that has elapsed, we can achieve successful prosecutions for the murder of two true peacemakers and patriots, not in the future as part of any truth and reconciliation committee, but now, and we make no apologies for it,” he added.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.DanOLoingsigh | Oct 20, 2011, 09:54 AM EDT
Seano - You need to check your facts, or somebody will check them for you. It could be that the sight of the burning Towers finally persuaded some of the doubters that they had to hoist the white flag? The more astute must have realised that their misguided USA supporters would have a far harder time after that day.
seanomelbourne | Oct 19, 2011, 06:35 PM EDT
Sinn Fein had signed off on the decommissioning before 11/9/2001 is nitpicking your favourite sport.
DanOLoingsigh | Oct 19, 2011, 09:51 AM EDT
Seano - your chronology is a little muddled - the first PIRA decommissioning took place in October 2001 - the ceasefire was 1997 - so wrong again, cobber!!
mastersonjp | Oct 17, 2011, 05:17 PM EDT
We need McGuinness as President like a hole in the head
seanomelbourne | Oct 16, 2011, 07:55 AM EDT
9/11 happened after the IRA handed over it,s arms.No funds needed. I love the way you west brits rally round the flag unfortunately it's the union jack.
Kilsally | Oct 14, 2011, 09:56 AM EDT
Actually seanmelbourne as far as I am aware the finucanes have also had their day in court - many victims families have not - the IRA has the info and refuses to part. Ken Barrett was convicted of the murder of Pat Finucane was he not? And reports which David Cameron referred to yesterday have stated their was collusion and he apologised for it (why is it not collusion when British / USA security agents infiltrated the IRA and committed terrorist acts to keep their cover as well??)
Fergananim | Oct 14, 2011, 09:30 AM EDT
@Gobdawpaddy - Go raibh mait agat. As a fellow-citizen of many Irish people who were murdered on 9/11, I would have found it impossible to believe Bin Laden's sincerity. I note with fury that it was only with 9/11 that many Irish-Americans ceased funding the IRA, as it took something of this magnitude on their own shores to bring home what terrorism actually is. And the IRA used proxy sucicide bombers too. The total number of deaths from 9/11 was not disimilar to the then total number of overall deaths in the troubles.
gobdawpaddy | Oct 14, 2011, 09:11 AM EDT
Fergananim, you have provided a succint/simple analogy. It is the same situation. Had Bin Laden decided last year to go the route of democracy in his efforts to remove US troops from the middle east, in particular his native Saudi, requesting that people look to the future and not the past, would Americans have agreed to forget about September 11th, as BL was hailed as a peacemaker??
Fergananim | Oct 14, 2011, 08:38 AM EDT
Any Irish-American reading this has to answer one question: Would I vote for an American Presidential candidate who is proud of his association with an organisation that killed American civillians, cops and soldiers? Same difference.
gobdawpaddy | Oct 14, 2011, 05:56 AM EDT
Once again, one puts forward a dissenting opinion RA/SF and they are referred to as 'west brits'. Miriam O'Callaghan, held in very high regard as a journalist, has the audacity to ask pertinent questions of candidate McG. and she has her integrity questioned. Journalist Eoghan Harris is threatened because of something similar. Is this election being held in Iran, where only 'nice questions to and reporting of' Mackmamadinthehead take place, or in the republic of Ireland ? Interesting use of the word 'ambushed' relating to McGuinness. I am sure as a commander in RA/SF he knows the meaning of that.
seanomelbourne | Oct 13, 2011, 07:31 PM EDT
Aughavey!!your socalled other victims had their day in court Finucane (and others)are victims of state violence. Gobsh--tpaddy is spewing his west brit hate mail again.Seoltamillais McGuiness was ambushed on the RTE anti Sinn Fein show the woman is a disgrace to journalism and acted as a biased mediator,she has no integrity.
johnymac60 | Oct 13, 2011, 01:40 PM EDT
@seoltamillais; I do not agree with SF or the IRA, but I certainly see you as a 'West Brit'. Unlike yourself, the majority of Irish people realise that we have a complex and sad history. One that should not be forgotten to advance political expediency. Quite frankly, most people are not happy with successive corrupt and debased government officials that have made up the Dail for many years, and yes, it is time for a radical change. As to what you 'won't let 'happen, you yourself WILL defer to the democratic wishes of the Irish people. Whether you like it or not. Whether McGuinness gets in or not. Your comments show YOU for what you really are. You can always move to East Britain.
gobdawpaddy | Oct 13, 2011, 01:32 PM EDT
seoltamillais, I agree. Saw a clip on Irish RTE a few minutes ago and you woud want to see the collection of thugs that are surrounding McGuinness on his 'campaign trail'. These are probably the same thugs who tried to prevent a photographer from cathcing a shot of McGuinness's BMW (not sure if it was financed by NIB) which is obviously beyond the capacity of someone on the average industrial wage. May in thye midst of this gang of thugs was the one that called and threatened Eoghan Harris for a less than flattering article on McG. These vermin have not changed their spots.
seoltamillais | Oct 13, 2011, 10:07 AM EDT
McGuinness threatened and intimidated popular Irish TV Presenter and mother-of-eight Miriam O'Callaghan after the PrimeTime Presidential Debate last night because she asked "how can you clain to be a man of religion and yet be involved in the murder of so may peoople" She read from the Green Book the IRA bible which claims the IRA are the only lawful government of the Irish Republic. We as loyal Irish Citizens vote for our Government, Defence Forces and we are sick of hearing our media referred to as "West Brits" and anyone who disagrees with Sinn Fein/IRA as the same. We have been a peaceful democratic State for nearly 90 years and some of the people on this site appear to hate us for being so. Well tough, we won't let McGuinness and others destroy the Irish State and force us into a United Ireland we are not ready for. McGuinness made a big mistake on live Irish TV last night and has shown himself for what he really is!
gobdawpaddy | Oct 13, 2011, 07:28 AM EDT
Ah yes Aughavey, it is amazing the way these RA/SF sympathizer mob have attempted to re-write history in recent years. Their 'volunteers' were choir boys and the people they killed deserved it. One poster even justified the killing of private Kelly by arguing that the Irish Army were doing the bidding of the ritish and another that Gerry McCabe's murder was justified if in favor of the cause (I haven't time to trace the precise post). This is the mindset of the mutants that are supporting McGuinness just on this site.
Aughavey | Oct 13, 2011, 06:35 AM EDT
The son of th chief prison officer at Portlaoise prison in the Republic who was shot in the back of the head from behind by the IRA in 1983 by the IRA has also had a go at Mcguinness today as has the husband of the lady census worker shot from behind in Londonderry in 1981 for the crime of filling in census forms which the IRA were boycotting at the time. Seanomelbourne - does that also apply to say the Finucanes and other victims of Loyalist atrocities seeking truth and justice or only to IRA victims - seems very one sided since Sinn Fein are actively campaigning on those issues..
canadianirish | Oct 12, 2011, 10:58 PM EDT
You took the words right out of my mouth, Rebelforce.
Rebelforce | Oct 12, 2011, 07:59 PM EDT
Using her logic, George Washington, Eamon DeValera, and Nelson Mandela would all have been disqualified from serving as President of their respective countries.
seanomelbourne | Oct 12, 2011, 06:01 PM EDT
It is easy to forget the big picture.Personalising the presidential debate, who shot whom and who knew about is counter productive. A peace deal (of sorts) has been reached and it's time to move on.Good article ironmountain.
Murph46 | Oct 12, 2011, 02:12 PM EDT
Probably be hunky dory for a UVF candidate!
IronMountainMovies | Oct 12, 2011, 11:27 AM EDT
The confrontation between Mr David Kelly and Martin McGuinness over the death of Mr Kelly's father during the Tidy kidnapping case raises more questions than answers, and the questions raised may not be too comfortable for Mr Kelly. For example if he believes Mr McGuinness knows who killed his father or is somehow responsible for his fathers death on that fateful day all those years ago then why h...as he not confronted the Garda Commissioner Mr Martin Callinan with his evidence? Why has he not confronted successful Ministers for Justice with his evidence and asked them why they allow a man like Mr McGuinness whom Mr Kelly accuses of being involved in murder, to walk free? One has to presume that Mr Kelly has such evidence given his forthright attacks on Mr McGuinness today. In this country it still is the case that one cannot accuse someone of a crime without evidence, unless, that is, Mr Kelly operates under a different constitution than the one he claims his father died protecting. Either Mr Kelly presents his evidence of Mr McGuinness's involvement in his fathers death, or his actions today amount to nothing more than a political and media stunt, which serves neither, Mr Kelly, his late father, or Martin McGuinness.
cillowen | Oct 12, 2011, 11:21 AM EDT
fading from favor are the great southie zeros. Freedom is not free it took lives on the either side of the fence that those southie types, heroically straddle. Much beloved Dev produced a killing machine that led to deaths aplenty - his southie reward, even when blind, saw him ensconced in the prez mansion. Who knew?
IrelandNorth | Oct 12, 2011, 10:01 AM EDT
I believe a Mc Guinness would be good for Ireland because as an Ulsterman he would be a truly national president, a very powerful symbolic statement to the majority tradition on the island. Readers and viewers in the southern state have been indecently exposed to a highly subjective - indeed pejorative coverage of the McGuinness candidacy, which causes one to wonder if there is a media conspiracy against the Derry man. The same intranational abreaction occurred against his immediate predecessor, another Ulster citizen, who was subsequently considered to be the most impressive president Ireland ever had - even by her erstwhile former antagonists! It would be a shame if the same neo-republican reactionaries were successful in making the same mistake fourteen years on. Seems some people have a thing against presidential candidates with a Mac/Mc prefix to their names. I'm confident that those who are entitled to vote, the Irish electorate will appreciate that after two Mary's in the Park, it's time for a second Martin in the Aras. We live in end times. Synchronicity is pointing to a McGuinness presidency to preside over the centenary of the 1916 Rebellion. What a missed opportunity it would be if Martin McGuinness, (like Al Gore), were to become the best president Ireland never had. Fellow citizens! See through the designer propoganda of the southern media, and vote for a McGuinness presidency on October 27th. Why? Because a McGuinness presidency would be good for us. Tiocfaidh ar Aras!