Martys GAWA

Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness has told UTV he's willing to go to a Northern Ireland football match, in a bid to reciprocate the gesture made by DUP leader Peter Robinson in attending a GAA game.

"It would present no difficulty for me whatsoever - I probably would know more about soccer than Peter would know about Gaelic football," the deputy First Minister said.

It's a claim that Mr Robinson may not be able to dispute, having admitted he might not have caught "all the finer points of the game" when he attended Saturday's McKenna Cup final.

But in travelling to Armagh for the clash between Derry and Tyrone, he did become the first DUP leader to go to a GAA match - a step branded "a little bit of history" by Mr McGuinness.

"All of us recognise that people do look at these situations and they make judgements about your broad-mindedness, your openness and your willingness to reach out ..." the Sinn Féin politician said.

"On the basis of whether or not you're prepared to show people in our entire community that you're prepared to respect what they love and what they represent."

According to Mr McGuinness, the trick is to reach out without compromising political ideals.

"Peter, when he went to the game in Armagh, did so without compromising his political views and opinions," he said. "And that would be absolutely the same for me."

'I've always said I'll support anybody wearing a green jersey.
Martin McGuinness'


http://www.u.tv/News/McGuinness-ready-to-watch-NI-team/bfcd4e19-8f37-4ea9-9a50-748c4ce4a4f0


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