The Irish President has been criticised for posing for a photo beside a convicted IRA murderer.
Catherine Connolly has attended multiple events in Belfast this week as part of the Fleadh celebrations.
During a visit to the Falls Women’s Centre, she appeared in a group photo alongside Mary McArdle, the only person convicted of the 1984 murder of school teacher Mary Travers.
She was shot dead by two IRA gunmen in an attempt to murder her father Tom, a magistrate, as they were leaving Mass at a south Belfast church on April 8, 1984.
Tom Travers was shot six times but survived. A gun was put in the face of his wife and the trigger pulled, but the gun jammed.
Ms McArdle, who was aged 19 at the time, was arrested shortly afterwards after she was found concealing two handguns.
Serving 14 years in prison, she was later released under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.
Mary Travers who was shot dead by the IRA as she walked home from Mass with her Father Thomas and her Mother Joan
Responding to the picture, the victim’s sister Ann Travers posted on social media: “I’m so upset this morning.
“Our president, Catherine Connolly, standing grinning beside Mary McArdle who was the only person convicted for the murder of my 23-year-old sister Mary as she walked home from mass in 1984.
“Some women’s centre, who don’t care about women.”
Austin Stack, whose prison officer father Brian was killed by the IRA in the Republic in 1993, called it “absolutely shocking” that the President would pose beside “an unrepentant convicted terrorist.”
“Mary McArdle has refused to meet Ann and her family and this is just absolutely disgusting,” he told the Irish News.
“The President’s team should always vet who she’s going to be standing beside in photographs.
“I do think she should comment on this in some respect because it’s absolutely shocking.
“It’s really traumatising for Ann, I know this as a victim myself and how it affects you.
“To have the President of your country standing smiling beside someone who was convicted for murdering your sister.
“It’s not like this woman has tried to make amends with Ann’s family, said sorry or even tried to meet with them.
“She has refused to divulge information about who else was involved in that murder and has been completely unrepentant about the whole thing.
“For the President to be standing smiling beside her is totally unbecoming, shocking and it’s disgusting.”
The Irish News front page in 2011 after Mary McArdle was appointed as a special adviser for Sinn Féin.
In 2011, the Irish News broke the story that Ms McArdle had been appointed as a special advisor to Sinn Féin’s culture minister Caral Ni Chuilin.
In the same year, she had stated in an interview that “the killing of Mary Travers was a tragic mistake and I regret that it happened.
“If I were to begin to describe the specific context of conflict I would be accused of trying to justify her death, and I have no wish to do that.”
Falls Women’s Centre and the office of the Irish President have both been contacted for a response.
Irish President Catherine Connolly speaking in Belfast at the opening of Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2026. (Oliver McVeigh/PA)