Martin McGuinness.
NEWLY released documents have revealed that a surprise visit to Derry in 1985 by Taoiseach Garret FitzGerarld was blasted by Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuinness at the time.
Archived papers from the Public Records Office papers show that the Taoiseach’s visit ON 30 April 1985 was dismissed by the Sinn Fein chief as a “pro-SDLP election stunt”.
Sinn Féin made it clear that the Dublin government was not welcome in Northern Ireland, the memo said.
In a memo, dated 1 May 1985, was written by S G Hewitt from the Northern Ireland Office’s political affairs division.
The writer noted: “For Sinn Féin, Dr FitzGerald’s visit could not have come at a worse time as it coincided with the launch of their election manifesto in Belfast.
“On top of this, the Taoiseach’s unequivocal remarks about his government’s support for constitutional nationalism guaranteed an angry response from Sinn Féin.”
Martin McGuinness, who is now Northern Ireland’s deputy first minister, was at that time, critical of press photographs of Dr FitzGerald shaking hands with an RUC officer.
He was reported as saying: “The image of SDLP supporter Garret FitzGerald shaking hands with a loyalist gunman should stick in the minds of nationalists as they go to the polls on May 15 [for the NI local government elections]”.
Sinn Fein feared, the said the memo, that the Taoiseach’s visit could help boost the SDLP’s vote at the forthcoming elections.
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