The East Derry DUP MP Gregory Campbell has been criticised by Sinn Féin for a revisiting of his “curried yoghurt” comments about the Irish language.
Sinn Féin Assembly member Emma Sheerin described as “crass and offensive” a Facebook comment posted by Mr Campbell about an Irish language BBC programme broadcast on Sunday night.
The documentary, Nazi sa Ghaeltacht, made by BBC journalist Kevin Magee told the story of German scholar Prof Ludwig Mühlhausen who before World War II went to Donegal to learn Irish while allegedly also secretly gathering information for a potential invasion of Ireland by Hitler’s German army.
The programme also recounted how he went on to broadcast Nazi propaganda to Ireland during the war.
Mr Campbell in his Facebook
post wrote he was informed that “BBC 2 had a programme on tonight about a
suspected German spy who lived in the RoI during the war.
“The humorous bit was that he was supposed to have spoken Irish with a German accent,” said Mr Campbell.
Mr Campbell appeared unable to resist adding, “I vill not be tempted to ask vot is dis curried yoghurt, mein herr.”
Some people commenting on his post found it amusing but others were critical, viewing it as a repeat of his 2014 remarks in the Northern Assembly when he said to the speaker, “curry my yoghurt, a can coca colyer.”
This was seen as a semi-phonetic parody of, “Go raibh maith agat, a Ceann Comhairle.”
It caused considerable
controversy at the time and led to charges that the DUP was being
deliberately disrespectful to both the Irish language and Irish people.
It also galvanised Irish language activists campaigning for an Irish
language Act. Such legislation is promised in January’s New Decade, New
Approach deal that restored the Northern Executive and Assembly after a
three-year collapse.
