DUP MP says Irish president apologised over speech

Democratic Unionist Party MP Gregory Campbell has said he received an apology from the Irish president after he criticised a speech she made in Londonderry.

Catherine Connolly is in Northern Ireland for a three-day visit and was in Derry on Thursday, where she attended a civic reception at the Guildhall and met local community groups and politicians.

During her address, Connolly spoke about Bloody Sunday and said justice for the victims was "still awaited" and also praised Derry's role in the peace process and highlighted reconciliation efforts in the city.

But Campbell, who was in the audience, described Connolly's speech as "imbalanced" and "one-sided".

"I was more than disappointed that in her speech there were numerous references to Derry, but not a single reference to Londonderry," Campbell said.

"She talked about some hardships and problems, for example with Bloody Sunday, which I would expect her to do, but made no reference to the fact that, where she was making those comments, on the west bank of the Foyle, only 5% of the population is now unionist because they suffered hardship, intimidation, and murder as well.

"I think she got the message and she apologised for not making the proper references, and I hope we can build a relationship between her country and our country.

"Because we can't rewrite the past, I told her, but we have to build a better future for everybody - and she agreed with that."

After her speech in the Guildhall, the president held a private meeting with 50 relatives of those killed and injured on Bloody Sunday in 1972.

Friday marked the 54th anniversary of the shootings, which were carried out by the Army's Parachute Regiment.

Earlier on Thursday, Connolly told the invited audience at the Guildhall that she was conscious of recent judgements [relating to Bloody Sunday] and that "justice was still awaited".

She also referred to the city's role in modern history and said an injustice in Derry was "the same as an injustice in Gaza" and Sudan.

"Derry has shown us the path from conflict to peace", playing a "pivotal role" in the civil rights movement and the Good Friday Agreement," the Irish president said.

"We remain indebted to your very own, the late John Hume, whose Nobel peace prize is displayed here, the late David Trimble with whom he shared that prize, the late Martin McGuinness and all those women and men who helped realise peace," she said.

She also praised the work of reconciliation taking place on the ground in Derry and said: "You are an absolute example to all of us."

Tony Doherty, whose father Paddy was killed on Bloody Sunday, said he and the other victims' families enjoyed meeting the Irish president.

"When you tell somebody who you are in that context and what happened It can easily have an impact and it definitely did have an impact on her," Doherty said.

"She was quite interested in what happened and who my father was and the circumstances around his death.

"There was a similar conversation that she had with other [Bloody Sunday] families as well, but we also talked about lighter matters, like the weather and her other visits to Derry."

Referencing Connolly's speech about the Bloody Sunday families, Doherty said he was pleased to hear the comments and said it showed "political maturity".

Connolly also visited a number of community initiatives across the city during the day, including the Apprentice Boys of Derry Siege of Derry Museum.

During a speech at Ulster University's Belfast campus on Wednesday, Connolly said Northern Ireland "represents a beacon of light to the world in how decades-long conflict can be resolved and reconciliation fostered and continued".

Her three-day visit will end with another engagement to a youth organisation on Friday.

The trip fulfils a commitment made in her inauguration address that her first official visit would be to Northern Ireland.