Credit must go to the people of West Belfast

FERGUS FINLAY’S analysis of the recent Northern election results (Irish Examiner, March 13), particularly that achieved by Sinn Féin in the West Belfast constituency, was amusing.

The former Irish Labour Party spin-doctor took us on a trip down memory lane to the days of the Shankill butchers and bombers before fast forwarding to the result which leaves those living on the Shankill being represented by five Sinn Féin MLAs and one SDLP.

He wrote of what an irony it would have been had Alex Attwood of the SDLP been squeezed out for the last seat by the DUP candidate, who, incidentally, was also a sitting MLA, having previously been elected by the Protestant people of the Shankill. With Sinn Féin’s near miraculous coup, it would also have dearly loved to dislodge Mr Attwood from his seat.

As much as Mr Finlay, Pat Rabbitte, Enda Kenny and the Fianna Fáil ministers who campaigned for the SDLP in the recent election have difficulty in accepting the outcome, they should at least accept that it was the people of West Belfast who lodged the ballot papers, not Sinn Féin.

More importantly, instead of insulting people’s intelligence by trying to influence the election, they should accede that it was due to some Shankill Protestant voters switching to pro-agreement republican and nationalist candidates that gave us the West Belfast result.

Cllr Kieran McCarthy

89 Russell Height

Cobh

Co Cork