A new row has broken out after a video emerged of passengers singing the controversial pro IRA song Celtic Symphony at Dublin Airport.
The clip shows a group singing the song with the lyric “Ooh ah, up the Ra”. The Ireland women’s soccer team were forced to apologise after they were filmed singing it in their dressing room following their World Cup play-off win over Scotland last week.
It is not clear if those at the airport were singing in solidarity with the team. The video has been condemned by politicians on both sides of the border.
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Northern Ireland Office minister Steve Baker said he was “deeply shocked and concerned” at the behaviour of those involved. He added: “This is profoundly disrespectful to the victims of terrorism.”
Fianna Fail TD Paul McAuliffe said the song was at odds with anyone who claims to be serious about affecting agreed constitutional change in Ireland. He added: “We build the case for a united Ireland by creating a shared island.
“One doesn’t necessarily lead to the other but it makes this place we call home a better place for all of us to live. Dropping a few lyrics isn’t a great sacrifice to make others feel included.”
Alliance MP Stephen Farry labelled the footage “disgraceful”. But Brian Warfield, the singer of rebel band the Wolfe Tones, told the Irish Mirror he was “delighted” Celtic Symphony was sung at the airport in “solidarity” with the Irish women’s team.
He said: “I’m delighted, I hope it was a protest against the awful treatment of the women’s team and in solidarity with them. First of all this is not a political song or a sectarian song, it’s a football song.
“When those girls sang that song in the dressing room it was out of sheer exuberance and nothing else political. There are those who are trying to make political capital out of it and will probably try to do so again this time.
“We don’t take offence when English supporters sing God Save the Queen or King now or Rule Britannia even though kings and queens weren’t very nice to the Irish people throughout history. And we’re not supposed to take offence when they burn tricolours on bonfires.
"We’re supposed to ignore all that. You don’t hear the DUP giving out about that.”
The video emerged on Saturday and clocked up more than 500,000 views on one account but it is not clear if it was shot then or at another time. While the song has caused controversy it is now believed it could become even more popular because many people believe the women’s team were unfairly treated for singing it after qualifying for the World Cup Finals.
A Dublin Airport Authority spokesperson added: “Our top priority is to ensure the safety and security of passengers and staff and to operate the airport in an efficient manner. “The responsibility for passenger behaviour in this instance rests entirely with the passengers.”
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