'Famine Song' stickers appear in Waterside
Concern has been expressed in Derry's Waterside over the emergence of stickers glorifying a football chant which mocks the events of the Irish Famine.
Known as 'The Famine Song', the chant refers to the events of the 1840s which saw more than 1 million people die across Ireland and led to mass Irish emigration.
In September of this year the Irish Consulate in Edinburgh met with the Scottish Government after it had received complaints relating to the singing of the chant at August's clash between Celtic and Rangers.
Last week a Rangers fan escaped a jail sentence after being found guilty of guilty of breach of the peace, aggravated by religious and racial prejudice, at Kilmarnock District Court.
William Walls was given two years probation and a football banning order for singing the "Famine Song".
Now the 'Journal' has learned stickers carrying a line from the song are being circulated around the Waterside.
One of the stickers, intially posted on a lamp post in the Kilfennan area, was given to the 'Journal' yesterday.
Stickers are sectarian
Sinn Fin Councillor Lynn Fleming said the stickers are sectian and aimed at inflaming community tensions in the area.
"The 'Famine Song' has been deemed sectarian by the Police and these stickers are obviosly the work of people intent in raising tensions in the Waterside area approaching next week's Old Firm game.
"I am confident that the work done between the two communities in the Waterside over the past few years will not be undermined by the people who produced this stickers."
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Weather for Derry
Sunday 05 February 2012
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 6 C to 7 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 6 C to 11 C
Wind Speed: 6 mph
Wind direction: West
