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A banner has been hung at the office of Michelle O’Neill, the deputy leader of Sinn Féin. The banner accuses the party of being “traitors” and was hung on O’Neill’s office shutters after she took part in an official Remembrance ceremony, laying a laurel wreath at the Cenotaph in Belfast. Whilst the banner has sparked outrage, O’Neill has defended her decision to attend the event stating that she is committed to representing everyone equally. She added that she was unable to attend an Armistice Day event at Stormont later on Monday, but that other Sinn Féin politicians did take part.
Previously Sinn Féin leaders have declined to attend Cenotaph wreath-laying ceremonies in any official capacity. However, in recent years there have been other gestures aimed at promoting reconciliation and good relations. In 2016, Martin McGuinness travelled to France and Belgium as part of a two-day trip to World War One battlefields, where he laid wreaths to commemorate the Battle of the Somme and the Battle of Messines. In July 2022, O’Neill laid a laurel wreath at the Belfast Cenotaph to commemorate the anniversary of the Battle of the Somme, but did not attend the bigger event at the same venue.
Whilst O’Neill’s attendance has received some criticism, she has maintained that it was important she attended the ceremony. A letter published in the Irish News from over 100 relatives of victims of the Troubles from the Republican community in County Tyrone criticised O’Neill’s decision, stating they felt “deeply hurt, frustrated and angry”. O’Neill said regarding this: “Of course it is difficult to hear that, particularly from people who I have known all of my life, but I also absolutely accept they are entitled to feel how they feel, particularly if they have lost a loved one.”
As an Irish Republican who believes in a united Ireland, O’Neill said she was committed to moving beyond old limits and building bridges in a message shown on the wreath that she laid. She also stated that she has a role to play and was committed to being a first minister for all
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