Jack Leahy | News Editor
A group of Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) students gathered this evening to protest a visit to the college by Mary Lou McDonald. It is understood that McDonald pulled out of the event, and that Sinn Féin MLA Michelle Gildernew took her place at the event.
McDonald, the deputy leader of Sinn Féin, was in the north this evening at the invitation of QUB Sinn Féin. She is scheduled to partake in a discussion of the present political situation in Ireland.
Protesters are understood by The University Times to have mounted their peaceful demonstration outside of the main gates of the university in support of abuse victim Mairia Cahill.
Gildernew arrived a short time after the protest began, but entered through the side door and did not engage with protesters.
Ms Cahill’s campaign for justice for victims of IRA sexual abusers has made headlines on both sides of the border this month.
Protesters say they are protesting to affirm that “the coverup of rape and child abuse is an integral part of the political situation in Ireland at this time”.
Correction: 20:03, November 20, 2014
An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that Mary Lou McDonald arrived at the event and entered via the side door. In fact, McDonald pulled out of the event and it was her replacement, Michelle Gildernew, who entered via the side door.
Correction: 19:18, November 20, 2014
An earlier version of this article incorrectly spelled the name of the abuse victim who the protest is in support of. She is Mairia Cahill.
