DUP MP Gregory Campbell informed President Catherine Connolly, “you’re in our country” and cautioned her against “rewriting the past” during her visit to County Derry, reports Breaking News.
In a brief exchange following Ms Connolly’s address at the Guildhall, she stated she is “here to listen” – adding “at the end of the day we’re human beings, and we have to have respect”.
In her speech, the President expressed gratitude to the people of Derry for demonstrating “the path from conflict to peace”, noting that “justice is still awaited” by survivors and families of victims from Bloody Sunday, reports Breaking News.
Referring to his attendance at a debate in Dublin the previous evening, the DUP MP for East Derry told the President: “You’re in our country. Tonight I’m going to your country,” reports Breaking News.
He continued: “We’re not leaving the United Kingdom, not now or at any time in the future, so I think it’s better if we try and ensure no-one rewrites the past as we all build for the future”, reports Breaking News.
Ms Connolly mentioned she was looking forward to visiting the Siege Museum later that day, which commemorates the 1689 Siege of Derry, when up to 30,000 Protestant people defended the walled city against forces loyal to the Catholic King James II.
Mr Campbell said he wished to “make our acquaintance to try and build on that”.
The President responded: “We’re here to listen and to learn from each other, and rewriting history would be…” when Mr Campbell interrupted, “a big mistake”, to which Ms Connolly agreed, saying: “In any country and in many countries they’ve rewritten history to suit a narrative”, reports Breaking News.
Mr Campbell added: “As you said yesterday, it would be a dull day if we agreed on everything – so there’s going to be issues where we disagree,” reports Breaking News.
Ms Connolly told Mr Campbell she grew up in a family of 14, and there were “lots of disagreements, but we had to learn to live and love, at the end of the day we’re human beings, and we have to have respect, that’s very important”, reports Breaking News.
Speaking to reporters after the encounter, the unionist politician said he “warmly welcomed her to this part of the United Kingdom” and he “always welcomes visitors, especially visitors from other countries”.
“I was more than disappointed that in her speech there were numerous references to Derry, but not a single reference to Londonderry,” Mr Campbell said, reports Breaking News.
“That she talked about some hardships in the province that there were, for example, with Bloody Sunday, which I would expect her to do, but no reference to the fact that where she was making those comments on the west bank of the Foyle, there’s only five per cent of the population that is now Unionist because they suffered hardship and intimidation and murder as well.
“So I think she got the message, and she apologised for not making the proper references, and I hope that we can build a relationship between her country and our country”, reports Breaking News.
Asked about Ms Connolly’s repeated emphasis on respecting all cultures on the island of Ireland from her speech in Belfast on Wednesday, Mr Campbell said: “If she made a balanced speech yesterday, and I heard most of it and it was balanced, well, why not make a balanced speech today? I just hope nobody in the Department of Foreign Affairs came up with the impression ‘we’ve got to be balanced when we’re in Belfast, but see when we go to the north west, we’re playing a home game’,” reports Breaking News.
“That day’s over. That day is over”, reports Breaking News.
“Either we’re moving forward by agreement, which we are, then we have to reach out to each community.
“That speech didn’t and hopefully it will in the future.”
Towards the end of their interaction, the DUP MP and Irish president did agree on the importance of not rewriting history and committed to listening to each other’s perspectives, reports Breaking News.
Asked if he warmed to Ms Connolly, Mr Campbell said: “I like to think that when people hear exactly what others feel and believe and speak on, that they give them respect that hopefully they deserve, and then they can move forward with mutual respect for each other’s view,” reports Breaking News.
The president is on the second day of her three-day official visit to Northern Ireland, with several engagements scheduled in Co Derry.
Ms Connolly was welcomed on arrival at the Guildhall by the Lord Lieutenant for the County Borough of Londonderry Ian Crowe and Derry City Mayor Ruairi McHugh, reports Breaking News.
She also paused for a short conversation in Irish with an individual who had waited to see the president, reports Breaking News.
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