Northern Ireland

Protest at Shankill Women’s Centre ahead of visit by Sinn Féin’s Michelle O’Neill

Protesters waved placards referencing IRA violence

Protesters outside the Shankill Womens Centre where First and Deputy FIrst Ministers Michelle O'Neill and Emma Little Pengelly where attending the official opening NO BYLINE
Protesters outside the Shankill Shared Womens Centre where First and Deputy FIrst Ministers Michelle O'Neill and Emma Little Pengelly where attending the official opening
By John Manley, Politics Correspondent

A handful of protesters hurled abuse and obscenities at First Minister Michelle O’Neill during a visit to a community facility in a predominantly unionist area of west Belfast.

The Sinn Féin vice-president and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly were attending the official opening of the Shankill Shared Women’s Centre on Thursday morning.

Funded under EU PEACE IV, the £7.8m purpose-built facility close to the peace wall at Lanark Way will provide a broad range of services and support for women and their families from all community backgrounds.

Deputy FIrst Ministers Michelle O'Neill and Emma Little Pengelly attending the official Opening of the Shankill Womens Centre pictured with Betty Carlisle Chief Executive of Shankill Womens Centre . PICTURE: MAL MCCANN
First Minister Michelle O'Neill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little Pengelly at the official Opening of the Shankill Shared Womens Centre, with the facility's chief executive Betty Carlisle. PICTURE: MAL MCCANN

It will be the new home for Shankill Women’s Centre, who will share the building and deliver services in partnership with Clonard Women’s Group.

On arrival, the Stormont leaders were heckled by a small group of women holding placards referencing IRA violence.

Police were forced to stand between the ministers and the female protesters as the latter shouted profanity-laden abuse at Ms O’Neill and questioned why she had chosen to visit the publicly-funded centre.

Others who attended the opening included Belfast Lord Mayor Micky Murray and DUP MLA Diane Dodds.

Ms O’Neill said afterwards she was delighted to attend the opening, which she said would “build on the great work that the Shankill Women’s Centre have been doing for decades to better the lives of all the people in the Shankill area”.

“This new facility will also assist their efforts to build links with other local women’s groups across our community,” the first minister said.

Ms Little-Pengelly posted on X: “What a day - the opening of the Shankill Women’s new Centre on Lanark - so many, many years of hard work by the women.

“It is a site transformed and so pleased to attend to say well done to Betty (Carlisle) and the whole team, and to Diane Dodds who championed this project from the very start.”

Earlier this month, pro-Palestine protesters heckled the first minister at an event in Derry.

The Sinn Féin vice-president was speaking alongside Ms Little-Pengelly at St Columb’s Hall when the event was interrupted by members of the Derry branch of the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign.