There have been calls for “action” after loyalists chanted ‘F**k the Pope and Virgin Mary’ at a social club linked to Irish league soccer club Coleraine FC.
Footage circulated on social media shows a Scottish loyalist band playing a hate-filled sectarian melody at Coleraine FC Social Club at the weekend.
In a separate clip a woman can also be seen and heard on stage singing a song glorifying the UVF, which was responsible for hundreds of sectarian murders during the Troubles.
It is believed the recordings were made just hours after thousands of loyalists attended an Apprentice Boys parade in Derry on Saturday.
If you can’t see the video below, click here.
Among the offensive tunes played by Glasgow based Pride of the North Flute Band was the sectarian anthem ‘No Pope of Rome’.
The offensive loyalist song includes the lyrics “No, no Pope of Rome, no chapels to sadden my eyes, no nuns and no priests, no Rosary beads, every day is the Twelfth of July.”
Some by-standers sang the sectarian lyrics while others can be seen waving union flags and raising their arms in the air.
At one stage some of those in attendance can be heard chanting “f**k the Pope and the Virgin Mary”.
- ‘It was done for one reason and that was to put it to the Catholics of Liverpool’Opens in new window
- Linfield fined £4,000 after sectarian chanting and a racist comment from fansOpens in new window
- Removal of bilingual sign in east Belfast street ‘another attack on diversity and culture’Opens in new window
Footage has also emerged of a song glorifying the UVF being bellowed from a stage in the social club.
The female performer can be heard singing “say it loud, say it clear, I’m a soldier, an Ulster Volunteer proud to be, a YCV”, a reference to the Young Citizen Volunteers, the UVFs youth wing.
It is believed the event was organised in advance with with Coleraine FC Social Club being tagged into social media posts days ahead of the event.
On its website Coleraine FC says it “fully endorses the Irish Football Association’s Community Relations Policy Statement which respects and values diversity”.
The club also says it endorses “UEFA’s 10 Point Plan to tackle racism and sectarianism”.
One of the north’s highest profile soccer clubs, Coleraine won the Irish Cup in 2018.
In May DUP sports minister Gordon Lyons visited the club’s Showgrounds in Coleraine and met with officials to hear about plans to “modernise the club’s facilities in partnership with local stakeholders and the potential impact of the Sub-Regional Stadia Programme” – which provides funding to soccer clubs.
The Department for Communities was contacted.
East Derry MLA Cara Hunter has now urged Coleraine FC to take action.
“This kind of sectarianism has no place in our community. It’s a shameful throwback and the people responsible need to catch themselves on,” she said.
“Coleraine FC and the social club need to take a hard look at the hateful, divisive message this sends to our community and take action immediately.”
Attempts were made to contact Coleraine FC.
