Row as councillor wears Celtic top to meeting
Sinn Fein councillor Colin Kelly.
A row has erupted at Derry City Council over a councillor wearing a Glasgow Celtic football top to a meeting.
The incident happened on Wednesday when DUP councillor Gary Middleton objected to Sinn Féin councillor Gary Middleton wearing the football shirt at a confidential meeting of Derry City Council held to discuss the planned reorganisation of the body.
The DUP councillor said the football shirt was “provocative” and should not have been worn to a Council meeting.
“Like it or not, Celtic jerseys are deemed to be provocative and people can take offence,” he said.
“I will accept that this meeting was closed to the public and to the press but even so it was an extremely important meeting and I think for a councillor to turn up in a football jersey is not appropriate. But the fact that it was a Celtic jersey was worse, given the divisive nature of Celtic,” he said.
Councillor Middleton did not raise the matter during the meeting but spoke to Council Chief Executive, Sharon O’Connor about it afterwards.
Sinn Féin dismissed the row as “petty” and said the jersey was worn as an ‘undergarment’.
“Colin Kelly was wearing a Celtic jersey as an undergarment covered by a tracksuit. This was a private meeting and councillor Gary Middleton would be better suited in tackling the major issues facing the city rather than being petty, including removing the sectarian flags adorning Newbuildings,” a party spokesperson said.
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Weather for Derry
Sunday 19 May 2013
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 8 C to 17 C
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