Ex Sinn Fein MP Barry McElduff Stands For Council Election

Former Sinn Fein MP Barry McElduff has announced he will stand for the council elections in Omagh next summer.

It follows his resignation from his Westminster seat in January, following accusations that he mocked victims of the 1976 Kingsmill massacre.

Mr McElduff maintained at the time that the video he posted on social media, in which he had a loaf of Kingsmill bread on his head, was intended as a joke.

It was posted on the 42nd anniversary of the Kingsmill attack, in which 10 Protestant workmen were killed, sparking backlash against the Sinn Fein representative.

He consequently resigned, stating that keeping his job would have impeded efforts to forge reconciliation in Northern Ireland, but that he was not aware his post had coincided with the anniversary.

He issued an apology, but the sole survivor of the attack said he would not accept it.

In a post on Thursday 07 December, Mr McElduff announced he would be running for a seat on Fermanagh and Omagh District Council next May.

Sinn Fein also released a statement, in which he said: "I am honoured to be selected for Ard Comhairle ratification to contest the upcoming Council election for Sinn Fein in Omagh, a town that I have a great affinity for and have been proud to represent in the past.

"We currently have one very hard working representative and community champion in Omagh, Councillor Martin McColgan, and it's our determination to maximise our potential by winning three seats in the next election.

"Councillor Anne Marie Fitzgerald will also be making the move from Mid Tyrone into Omagh, and as someone who already represents Killyclogher, has previously lived there and has strong family and professional connections to the town, it will be a natural transition. 

"For my own part, I have been proud to serve people across west Tyrone over the past 20 years and I look forward to the campaign ahead and to be part of a dynamic team that will return the maximum amount of Sinn Fein Councillors."



(JG)