TUV Carrick Councillor David Clarke has tonight written to the Olympic Federation of Ireland and the director of BBC Northern Ireland in the following terms:
Ms Sarah Keane
President
The Olympic Federation of Ireland
Dear Ms Keane,
Re Sectarian chanting at home coming event for Team Ireland athletes
I write both to congratulate the athletes which represented Team Ireland at the recent Olympic Games and to draw your attention to a most unsavoury incident which I trust you will agree distracts from the remarkable achievements of the team, three of whom as you know are from Northern Ireland.
This evening’s edition of BBC Northern Ireland’s evening news programme, Newsline, included a live report from Dublin in which a reporter broadcast from in front of a group of primary school aged children. I was shocked and appalled when the children suddenly took up a chant of “Ooh ah up the ’Ra” which prompted a swift end to the live broadcast.
I appreciate that The Olympic Federation of Ireland could not control this event. However, it took place following an event to welcome home athletes, some of whom as noted above are from Northern Ireland which bore the brunt of the brutal IRA campaign which resulted in the murders of over 1,700 people and the maiming of thousands of others. You will also be aware that the FAI was fined €20,000 after some members of the Ireland women’s team was filmed chanting this highly offensive slogan.
I invite you to publicly distance The Olympic Federation of Ireland from what we saw tonight on the BBC and make clear that there is no place for the glorification of terrorism in sport.
I look forward to your response.
Yours sincerely,
Councillor David Clarke
Adam Smyth
Director
BBC Northern Ireland
Dear Mr Smyth,
I write to draw your attention to this evening’s edition of Newsline when a live broadcast from Dublin on the return of Team Ireland athletes was cut short when a number of school children behind the reporter began to chant “Ooh ah up the ’Ra”.
While I appreciate the BBC had no control over what happened, not only did Declan Harvey not note that the chant was offensive to many viewers – something which is self evident given that the IRA murdered over 1,700 people in Northern Ireland – but closed the segment with a laugh. This was totally unacceptable.
I invite the BBC to rectify this by apologising for this incident on air tomorrow night.
Yours sincerely,
Councillor David Clarke