McGuinness told he was “not welcome” at funeral
DEPUTY First Minister Martin McGuinness was told he would “not be welcome” at the funeral of Peggy O’Hara, mother of the 1981 hunger striker Patsy, the O’Hara family has said.
Mr McGuinness had criticised the presence of masked men at the funeral, which took place in Derry city on Saturday.
He tweeted: “Honoured to attend Peggy O’Hara’s funeral Mass this morning. Masked men parading after did little to respect the memory of such a good woman.”
Mrs O’Hara’s granddaughter Edel Kelly dismissed the criticism, saying the parade and gun salute was in line with Mrs O’Hara’s wishes.
In a posting on social media, Ms Kelly said that she had “politely informed” the senior Sinn Féin politician that he would “not be welcome” at the funeral or wake.
She wrote: “Martin you were informed politely by myself that you were not welcome at Peggy’s funeral nor her wake.”
Referring to Sinn Féin as “hypocrites”, Ms Kelly added: “I am politely letting you know that I will see that her name will not be mentioned by your party to exploit the love and the respect she had across the world, to make money, or gain anything, in the name of her son or the other three brave INLA soldiers.”
Sinn Féin did not respond to a request for comment from The Irish News.
