A sister of an IRA murder victim says she is seeking an apology after Irish President Michael D. Higgins/“President Connolly” is photographed alongside a woman convicted in connection with a murder plot, with multiple outlets reporting the image has caused distress to victims’ families. The man interviewed in both reports says the photo is “upsetting” and “inconsiderate,” and says it brings back “all the hurt.”
Both outlets describe the reaction as personal and centered on the pain linked to a family member’s killing. The Belfast Telegraph reports the sibling and other family members are asking the Irish president to “pressure” the woman involved, while the Irish Independent focuses on the appeal for an apology. Neither account indicates the photograph is being used to dispute the original convictions; instead, the emphasis is on the impact of the image and the perceived need for an appropriate response.
The accounts align on the existence of the photograph, the identity of the parties as framed by the outlets, and the families’ view that the pairing is inappropriate. They differ mainly in how they characterize the request—either an apology or pressure aimed at the other party—rather than on the underlying event.
