DUP sports minister Gordon Lyons has attended his first GAA event this weekend by visiting the home club of former police officer Peadar Heffron.
The minister’s decision to attend the event came just weeks after it emerged he had turned down invitations to attend two GAA events since taking up post with the Department for Communities in February.
While other prominent DUP figures, have attended Gaelic games in the past, Saturday’s visit to Kickhams GAC in Creggan, in Co Antrim, was the first time the sports minister has accepted an invitation from the GAA.
The minister’s visit to the club coincided with it hosting The Ulster GAA Games For All Festival.
The popular project aims to “offer an inclusive, diverse and welcoming environment for everyone”.
In the past, former first ministers Peter Robinson and Arlene Foster have attended high-profile GAA games while current Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly was pictured trying her hand at camogie during a visit to St Paul’s GAC in west Belfast earlier this year.
It was recently revealed that Mr Lyons received invitations to two GAA games, including the All-Ireland football final, but did not attend.
The department has since claimed both invitations “conflicted with other diary commitments”.
When asked to provide details of the other “diary commitments”, the department did not respond.
While Mr Lyons did not attend the All-Ireland final, the DUP minister later travelled to France for the Paris Olympics where he took in several of events, including showjumping, golf, rowing and tennis.
The GAA has previously confirmed it sent an invitation to the communities minister ahead of Armagh’s historic All-Ireland win in July but was advised the minister was “unavailable to attend”.
Located near Randalstown, Kickhams GAC is the former home club of former PSNI officer Peadar Heffron.
In January 2010, Mr Heffron was seriously injured when a dissident republican bomb exploded under his car near Randalstown.
Last year the former police officer, who is now a member of St Paul’s GAC Holywood, near Belfast, captained the Ulster GAA wheelchair hurling team to a National League title.
South Antrim Sinn Féin MLA Declan Kearney, who is related to Mr Heffron, is also a former Kickhams footballer and hurler.
Neither the Department for Communities or Ulster Council responded when contacted.
Kickhams GAC was also contacted.
