UNIONISTS have slammed plans to hold a dance in Londonderry's Guildhall to honour IRA members killed during the troubles.
Survivor of the Claudy bombing, Ulster Unionist Alderman Mary Hamilton said the memorial dance - earmarked to take place in October -should not be held in a neutral civic venue like the Guildhall - itself ironically bombed twice by republicans in 197
2.
Mrs Hamilton narrowly escaped death in July 1972 when three car bombs destroyed her adopted home of Claudy killing nine people. The Beaufort guest house - run by Mrs Hamilton and her husband Ernie at the time was one of three buildings targeted by in the Claudy attack. It was only by sheer luck the couple escaped death on that occasion. But it is the memory of those less fortunate that makes the IRA memorial repugnant to the local councillor.
"I don't think an event like this should be held in the Guildhall. Most people would find this offensive," said Mrs Hamilton.
"The fact it is going ahead in the Guildhall now - maybe it's something to do with the new Sinn Féin Mayor - it just makes the Protestant people of the city feel the Council is for nationalists and not for them."
Mrs Hamilton said if republicans wished to commemorate IRA members responsible for attacks on members of the Protestant community down the years - they should do so in their own areas.
Her husband, Ernie, whose brother Ellis was killed by the IRA in 1972, said the event would be "dancing on the graves of the IRA's victims".
Londonderry DUP Alderman Gregory Campbell also said the organisers should be apologising to the Protestant people of Londonderry instead of holding memorial dances.
"It's inappropriate to commemorate events like this anywhere but it is particularly inappropriate in the seat of civic authority," said Mr Campbell.
"Those who are organising this should be in the business of apologising, not commemorating. Commemorating events that involved IRA personnel murdering innocent people is not something that is worthy of a commemoration or dinner or any other event in the city centre," he added.
"It will go down very badly in the Protestant community because people will see it as Sinn Féin still not completely disengaging themselves from their bloody and gory past. Many in the community will see it as them trying to recapture some of what the movement was engaged in, in the past, even though politically they have moved beyond it," he continued.
A spokesperson for Derry City Council said: "The Guildhall is run on a commercial basis and is therefore available for general hire. The Guildhall is available to all communities and cultural tradition including political and religious groupings."
Plans for the 'Derry Volunteers Commemoration Dance' in October were announced at a so-called Derry Brigade Volunteers Commemoration at the City Cemetery on Sunday.
