Anger as Sister Clare Crocket mural wall in Derry defaced

There is widespread anger in today as a gable wall used for a mural in memory of Derry nun Sister Clare Crockett has been defaced.

Sr Clare, 33, died after the school she was teaching music at in Playa Prieta, Ecuador, collapsed during a 7.8-magnitude earthquake in April 2016.

Since her death, her grave in the City Cemetery attracts large numbers of visitors every year. Sr Clare has also been recognised as a candidate for sainthood.

Work was due to begin on a new mural of Sister Clare in the Brandywell area next week, however it has emerged that graffiti in support of a local dissident republican prisoner has been spray painted on the wall.

The words 'Free Niall Sheerin IRPWA' were daubed on the side of the wall in black spray paint.

Sheerin was jailed for seven years in 2022 for possessing the gun that police believe was used to kill journalist Lyra McKee.

The gun was found wrapped in plastic bags in a hollow behind a telegraph pole in a field in the Ballymagroarty area of Derry in 2020.

The New IRA admitted carrying out the murder of Ms McKee in 2019.

A campaign highlighting the continued imprisonment of Sheerin, who was due to be released in December, has been launched by Saoradh and the Irish Republican Prisoners Welfare Association (IRPWA).

A post on the Sister Clare Crockett Facebook page condemned the graffiti.

"I am absolutely disgusted to see this today," the post stated. "The time and effort was put into getting this wall ready for our beautiful Sr Clare mural which was to be started this week and you disgusting humans decide that this is ok!!! How dare you!!!!!!!

"You do nothing for our community, just disgusting".

A spokesperson for the IRPWA denied any involvement of its members in the spray painting of the wall.

In an online statement, the spokesperson said: "The IRPWA wishes to clarify its position regarding the recent graffiti appearing on the site of the Sister Clare mural. Following local concerns, we want to state unequivocally that the IRPWA had no involvement in the marking of this site.

"We recognise the sensitivity of this location and the respect owed to the memory it represents. To ensure clarity and maintain community cohesion IRPWA representatives have liaised with the family.

"Following these discussions, the family has fully accepted that the IRPWA and its activists were not responsible for the recent markings.

"As a gesture of respect and community support, IRPWA activists have committed to repainting the wall to restore it to its proper state.

"While we remain committed to highlighting the ongoing injustices surrounding the case of Niall Sheerin, we believe such advocacy must be conducted with discipline and respect for the community.

"We encourage anyone wishing to highlight Niall’s case to do so in a professional manner. We invite those who want to support this cause to do so by assisting and coordinating directly with the IRPWA.

"Our focus remains on the welfare of republican prisoners and the pursuit of justice, and we thank the local community and the family for their understanding in resolving this matter."