Linfield have sacked an academy coach after identifying him in a video depicting sectarian singing which mocked the murder of Irish language teacher Michaela McAreavey.
On Friday, footage circulated on social media showed a group chanting, at what appears to be an event marking the Platinum Jubilee, mocking the murder of Mrs McAreavey, a 27-year-old from County Tyrone, who was killed during her honeymoon in 2011.
The video was taken at an event with union flags and Orange Order paintings in the background. A spokesman for the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland condemned the video “without reservation”.
In a club statement, Linfield described the chant as “offensive, sickening and deeply hurtful and insulting”.
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They added: “This club wishes to disassociate itself totally from the unacceptable behaviour that has understandably caused major upset and offence to the Harte-McAreavey families who have suffered terribly since the loss of their daughter / wife several years ago.
“Linfield FC apologises to the Harte-McAreavey families for the hurt that has been caused to them by the offensive actions of one of our now former coaches. Linfield FC is totally opposed to sectarianism, bigotry, racism, prejudice and all forms of discriminatory behaviour and there can be no place within this club for any of these forms of offensive and unacceptable behaviour.”
The Northern Ireland Football League club added that the individual in question had been employed in a voluntary position and worked with girls’ side of the Academy, but that the agreement had been terminated with immediate effect.
Mrs McAreavey was found dead at her hotel just 10 days after her wedding. She was the daughter of former Tyrone Gaelic football manager Mickey Harte.
Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) politician Jonathan Buckley called the chanting “wrong on so many levels”, while Sinn Féin MP Michelle Gildernew wrote that she had reported the incident to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).
The PSNI have confirmed they are investigating to establish whether criminal offences took place.
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