Sean McGlinchey says ‘proud ex-IRA man” remarks in Coleraine were ‘insensitive’

Colr. McGlinchey said while he stands by his remarks about his IRA past, which he made during a heated row at a council meeting on Tuesday, he realises he was “very insensitive” to have made the comments in Coleraine.

Six people were killed, all pensioners and 33 others were injured, including some schoolchildren in the car bomb attack of June 12, 1973.

Sean McGlinchey was convicted of the attack and jailed for 18 years.

During a heated debate about the refugee crisis , an issue which Colr. McGlinchey had called for a special meeting on to see how the area could help, a row developed and he said: “I’m an ex-IRA man. I’m proud of it”.

Colr. McGlinchey told the ‘Journal’ he stands over his comments, but said he realises he should not have said them in Coleraine.

“I apologise for saying the comments in the chamber. I realise that was wrong and I want to apologise to the people of Coleraine and to the victims of the bomb. I regret saying what I said in the chamber in Coleraine. That was very insensitive,” said Colr. McGlinchey.

(More on this in Friday’s Journal).