THE NORTH’S Sinn Féin Minister for Sports Carál Ní Chuilín has said she will attend the next Northern Ireland soccer match at Windsor Park, long seen as a bastion of unionism.
Ms Ní Chuilín said she would go to the North’s Euro 2012 qualifier against the Faroe Islands on August 10th at the Belfast venue.
She said she would not be there for the playing of God Save the Queen, which Northern Ireland uses for its national anthem.
When the DUP’s Edwin Poots was minister for sports, he attended the Down vs Donegal McKenna Cup GAA fixture in Newry in January 2008. He was not present for the Republic’s Amhrán na bhFiann national anthem played on that occasion.
Ms Ní Chuilín said she wanted the sensitivities afforded to Mr Poots “afforded to myself”, but did not want to be politically insensitive to anyone attending the game or otherwise.