'You shouldn't be here'- Angry protestor confronts Dublin Lord Mayor Christy Burke at Remembrance Sunday ceremony

Dublin's Lord Mayor Christy Burke had an angry confrontation as he attended the annual Remembrance Sunday ceremony.

The celebration is to honour the contribution of those who died in two World Wars and later conflicts.

As he arrived at St Patrick’s Cathedral for the ceremony, Christy Burke was approached by campaigners from the Anti War Movement and another man who told the Lord Mayor: “I don’t think you should be here”.

Cllr Burke responded: “Well in all honesty, what do you want me to do? I’m the Lord Mayor of Dublin, I have duties.

“The dead is the dead as far as I’m concerned. Dead is dead,” he said.

However he was pressed by the protester, who identified himself as Bill O’Brien who was not party of any campaign, who said he was unhappy that Cllr Burke was commemorating British servicemen and women including those who had killed Irish people.

The Lord Mayor responded: “I commemorate all men and women who died in wars. Every one of them. I commemorate all men and women. The good Friday Agreement proved that.”

“I’m more of a republican than of you,” he said angrily.

When questioned on his republicanism, he responded: “Do you want to put a bet on it? Martin McGuinness met the Queen. What do you want me to do?

“Do you want me to walk away and set the country back 20 years? Now listen you’re dealing with someone who has been in jail, an IRA volunteer, on the run and involved in the struggle form start to finish, so don’t go there with me,” he said,

Mr O’Brien said Cllr Burke should have ignored the event.

In response he said lives had been lost by “ignoring people” and added: “If you want to have a history debate pal, l I’ll see you after. It’s not a tick you’re talking to so don’t go there.”

Cllr Burke added: “I have republican family in jail today. More than what you have.”

The two men eventually shook hands and the Lord Mayor attended the ceremony.

Jim Roche, from the Irish Anti War Movement said: “The reason we’re here is not in anyway to denigrate the memory of the 49,000 Irish soldiers or any of the soldiers who died in the first World War. What we’re trying to do is bring an anti-war argument to the commemorations on this 100th anniversary of what was a most horrific war.”

Online Editors