What gets me is the silence of elected Unionists in the Ballymena area. Why is left to parades forums to defend themselves?? SF should be being hounded for their behaviour and blatant lies they have reported to the media.
Parades Forum - official response to SF claims
Parade Forum hit back
« Previous « PreviousNext » Next »View Gallery"Sinn Fein in the form of Dathai McKay however remains deaf, dumb and blind to the efforts made by the Ballymena Parades Forum "
Official responseADVERTISEMENTPublished Date:
18 June 2008
By Michael McGlade
NORTH Antrim MLA Daithí McKay's condemnation of the recent Pride of the Maine parade has provoked an angry response from supporters of the band and the Ballymena Parades Forum.
The Sinn Fein representative claimed last week that one of the bands which took part in the parade had the initials 'K.A.T.' printed on their bass drum - an abbreviation for 'Kill all Taigs'
.
This claim was roundly dismissed by the Parade's Forum who acccused Mr McKay of being 'deliberately negative'.
In a statement, a spokesman for the forum said: "Two parades have been held in Ballymena recently. The first organised by Ballykeel Loyal Sons of Ulster and the second by the Pride of the Maine Flute bands.
"Both parades passed off, given the numbers involved, satisfactorily to such a degree that Declan O'Loan of the SDLP was moved to comment favourably. Sinn Fein in the form of Dathai McKay however remains deaf, dumb and blind to the efforts made by the Ballymena Parades Forum and the wider Loyalist community in Ballymena.
"We find it strange that Mr McKay managed to contain his comments regarding the Ballykeel Parade for over two weeks.
"The Pride of the Maine Parade was however somewhat different where he had a childish rant regarding a band allegedly entitled 'KAT'. The Ballymena Parades Forum has studied the list of attending bands and is content that no such band took part in the parade.
"Mr McKay's antics at the same parade last year where he used his membership of the policing board to force entry into an agreed sterile zone was mirrored this year when he found himself in excess of 100 metres from All Saints Church attempting to monitor a parade which he had complained about presumably on the basis of its proximity to the church.
"Mr McKay has yet to realise the essential truth of his and his party's position. After ten of thousands of injured, thousands of dead and millions of pounds wasted, they find themselves in a partitionist settlement recognising the position of Northern Ireland within the United Kingdom."
The backlash has also continued on the Ballymena Times website
www.ballymenatimes.com where one 'Pride of the Maine member stated the initials on the drum had been KAI: "After reading these comments from Daithi it kinda makes me laugh that a "well educated" politician cannot tell the difference between an 'I' and a 'T'.
"Maybe if Daithi has another wee look through his recording again he will see what was really printed on the bass drum!
"I hope he enjoyed watching the marvellous show of bands that were on parade as much as the other spectators did.
"Its always nice to see him out watching us parade and taking in the wonderful atmosphere."
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