James McClean's brother under investigation for attending IRA march
Credit: X/Sunday World
James McClean's younger brother is being investigated by his football club after appearing to attend a parade linked to the New IRA.
Patrick McClean, who plays for Northern Irish side Glentoran in the NIFL Premiership, was spotted in social media footage which appears to show him walking in a parade in Derry on Easter Monday.
Around 200 people attended the march, at which police said petrol bombs and fireworks were thrown at them. Many attendees were dressed in paramilitary-style attire and had their faces covered.
The annual march is held in Derry, also known as Londonderry, to commemorate the 1916 Easter Rising against British rule, which took place in Dublin.
Footage on social media appears to show the younger McClean, 28, at the event although there is no evidence he was involved in any disorder.
'Glentoran Football Club is aware of footage involving one of our players currently circulating online,' his club said in a statement.
'The club is fully committed to maintaining a respectful, inclusive and welcoming environment for all players, staff, supporters and the wider community.
'The matter is being reviewed internally in line with club policies and no further comment will be made at this time.'
Gillian Kearney, the Chief Superintendent and area commander of Derry City and Strabane, called the parade 'utterly shameful'.
'Despite the claim by organisers of today's Easter Monday parade who said they wanted to hold a dignified commemoration, what we saw was the complete opposite,' she said.
'From the commencement of the parade to when it dispersed, we saw masked individuals, which we believe at this time to be a breach of the Parades Commission determination.
'As these masked individuals made their way towards the dispersal point on Lecky Road, disorder developed in the area of Nailors Row from around 2.50pm.
'Petrol bombs, fireworks and masonry were thrown which resulted in nearby Bishop Street (Without) being closed for a time for public safety reasons.
'Members of the public were diverted away from that area in the City Walls.
'This disorder involving young people was orchestrated. We have no doubt about this.
'Young people were shamelessly and deliberately used in an attempt to distract from and shield the masked individuals as they took cover in a gazebo following the parade in the area of St Joseph's Place to change out of their parade clothing.
'This is child criminal exploitation. It is utterly shameful.'
Wrexham and Republic of Ireland midfielder James McClean was fined two weeks' wages by Stoke City in 2020 over a social media post showing him wearing a balaclava while teaching his children what he termed a 'history lesson'.
He is also renowned for his refusal to wear a poppy or mark Remembrance Day, a stance he explained in an Instagram post in November.
He wrote: 'The poppy represents for me an entire different meaning to what it does for others, am I offended by someone wearing a poppy? No absolutely not, what does offend me tho [sic], is having the poppy try be forced upon me.'
He added that his stance stemmed from Bloody Sunday, in which he said British soldiers murdered '14 innocent civilians' in Londonderry in January 1972.
'That is why I never have and never will wear a poppy,' said McClean, who has a tattoo of the 'Free Derry' landmark in the city's Bogside area on his left thigh.
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