Soccer jersey 'Snow joke' for some, says McKay

Over 40,000 fans flocked to the County Down town to take in what was believed to have been the biggest ever outdoor concert held in Northern Ireland but according to Mr McKay some people were taken aback when Lightbody (pictured right) did a football-themed costume change midway through belting out the band’s internationally-renowned hits.

Mr McKay is a big fan of ‘Twitter’ where up-to-the-minute messages can be put up to be read on the internet through computers and mobile phones and recently he used it to great effect when he revealed Jim Allister’s worse-than-expected performance in the Westminster elections.

But now one of Mr McKay’s latest ‘tweets’ has created controversy.

The MLA revealed he was at the big concert at the weekend and said he was up front near the stage so he had a close view of Gary Lightbody’s Northern Ireland jersey.

Mr McKay ‘tweeted’ the following words: “A few people surprised that Gary Lightbody decided to throw on a Northern soccer top at the end of the Snow Patrol concert”.

The comment has now been read by many people and the Times was contacted by one man, who did not wish to be named, who said he was disappointed that an issue was being made about the football top.

The man said: “Everybody at the concert from all sections of the community seemed to have a great day out and the only person who seems to have made any issue of a Northern Ireland jersey being worn was Daithi McKay.

He may say it is not his point of view because he was only saying ‘a few people were surprised’ but at the end of the day even if that was the case he has added fuel to this and given it a public airing and brought it into the public domain with this ‘tweet’.

“If you ask me it was pretty sad to be worrying about the jersey.

“Ok, perhaps in a mixed community we should all be aware of the symbolism of football jerseys but I am sure Gary Lightbody was not out to offend anyone and he was just showing that he supports Northern Ireland.

“Rod Stewart concerts have Celtic references because he supports them and at one recent concert there were several Celtic shirts thrown onto the stage and there was not a fuss made about it. Whoever, these ‘people’ were who were surprised at the Snow Patrol concert they need to get a life,” said the man.

When the Times raised the issue with Mr McKay on Monday morning he was hesitant about immediately commenting on the issue and we asked him to send in a statement to us.

But by 6pm on Monday nothing appeared even though in the intervening period he did send in a statement on another matter.