The President-elect Mrs Mary McAleese has decided not to wear a poppy at her inauguration ceremony next Tuesday, she announced yesterday. It also emerged that representatives of all Northern Ireland political parties, including Sinn Fein, will be invited to the Dublin Castle event. Mr Gerry Adams said yesterday that if he or any member of his party were invited, they would attend.
While announcing that she would not be wearing a poppy on Tuesday, Mrs McAleese said she would be attending this Sunday's Remembrance Day service at St Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin.
The service is organised by the Royal British Legion in Ireland, which had suggested that the President-elect might wear a poppy at her inauguration ceremony, which takes place on Armistice Day, November 11th.
Last night the administrator of the British Legion in the Republic, Maj Hume Grogan, said he was neither disappointed nor surprised by Mrs McAleese's decision. He said the legion had said it would be a "nice gesture" for her to wear a poppy on the occasion, but had put no pressure on her.
In a statement issued yesterday, Mrs McAleese said she had been asked in recent days to consider wearing a poppy. "I have given this matter the deepest consideration and I have decided, after long deliberation, that apart from the shamrock, the President should not wear emblems or symbols of any kind.
"I do believe it is important that we find an all-embracing means of expressing our grief and sorrow for what has happened in the past and in particular expressing our deep respect for those who sacrificed their lives," she added.
"In this regard I am honoured to accept an invitation to attend the Remembrance Day ceremony this coming Sunday, November 9th, in St Patrick's Cathedral."
Her decision was welcomed by the Democratic Left leader, Mr Proinsias De Rossa, who said it would not have been right for Mrs McAleese to have been drawn into the controversy. The Minister for the Environment and director of Mrs McAleese's election campaign, Mr Noel Dempsey, had said earlier this week that in his view she should not wear a poppy at her inauguration.
Maj Grogan said he had understood from the beginning that the President did not wear any emblems, except the shamrock. He said Mrs Mary Robinson twice attended the Remembrance Day service at St Patrick's Cathedral as president. She did not wear a poppy but her husband, Nicholas, did.
