Sinn Fein MP's comments on Enniskillen Bomb 'lacked empathy' - Diana Armstrong

​Diana Armstrong says the town and its people were “forever changed” by the republican atrocity on Remembrance Sunday 1987 – and that the former nursing union chief turned politician should “have no hesitation in condemning such brutal and unjustified murder of innocents”.

IRA killers targeted a Remembrance Day ceremony at the town's cenotaph, murdering 12 people and injuring 63.

Fermanagh and South Tyrone MP Ms Cullen was asked during a BBC interview, broadcast this week, about criticism that remarks she made on the attack during a 2024 election interview were “not unequivocal”. She had refused to condemn the bombing.

The Sinn Fein politician responded by expressing her disappointment that rival Diana Armstrong had asked her during a debate about whether she condemned the attack, and claimed the question was being “used for party political gain” and that was “alien to her values”.

Referencing Marie Wilson, a 20 year old nurse murdered in the attack, Pat Cullen told a story about how she was a young nurse “starching my hat for work” on the day of the attack – adding that she had a story “that perhaps Diana Armstrong didn’t know about”.

She claimed the UUP politician hadn’t considered “the people that were listening to that interview”.

Ms Cullen said Marie Wilson “would have been a young staff nurse like me. I remember where I was that morning, I remember I was starching my hat for work. So I have a story there that perhaps Diana Armstrong didn’t know about, or chose to ignore, for what I see as political gain”.

Pushed by BBC presenter Mark Carruthers on whether she she could have been clearer in condemning it, Ms Cullen said she “described it as a very very dark day, and I don’t think I could have been clearer about it”.

She added that she was “responsible for commissioning a book” which included Marie Wilson – and that “it meant more to me than a soundbite for radio”.

Reacting to the interview, Diana Armstrong said the comments “simply lack empathy”.

“It remains one of the darkest moments of the Troubles. I recall many people asking me that week whether Ms Cullen had condemned such a horrific act of terrorism. Of course, I assumed that any respected individual would have no hesitation in condemning such brutal and unjustified murder of innocents”, she said.The UUP MLA said many people in the constituency were eager to hear Ms Cullen’s answer. “I think even to this day, we’re all still waiting for her condemnation of that dark day. But knowing what I know now, I’m not surprised. Anyone who signs up to Michelle O’Neill’s ‘there was no alternative to the terrorist campaign’ narrative will always fail to show the real leadership needed to bring peace to our communities.

“Her comments throughout the BBC Red Lines interview simply lack empathy for the real trauma it caused across the community. She speaks of her story that day, which I feel stands in stark contrast to the helpless people pulling their family and friends from the rubble. Unlike Ms Cullen, I’m from this community and know all too well the grief and sorrow many families still experience to this day”.

The News Letter asked Sinn Fein for a response to Mrs Armstrong’s comments, and whether Pat Cullen will now condemn the bombing of civilians - including nurses - in the IRA atrocity. There was no response at the time of writing.