Mary Lou McDonald pays tribute to convicted IRA killer Brendan ‘Bik’ McFarlane after his death aged 74

Brendan ‘Bik’ McFarlane died after a short illness on Friday at the age of 74.

The Sinn Féin leader paid tribute to Mr McFarlane as “a great patriot who lived his life for the freedom and unity of Ireland”.

Speaking on Friday evening, Ms McDonald said: “Bik was dedicated to the struggle for the freedom and unity of Ireland, and the equality of its people.

“Bik was, and will always remain, a giant of Irish republicanism. A proud son of Ardoyne in Belfast, he was part of a generation who rose up against oppression, the British occupation and the sectarian Orange state.”

Mr McFarlane was sent to Maze Prison after being convicted of a deadly gun and bomb attack on a pub in the Protestant Shankill Road area in August 1975.

Three men and two women were killed and 60 more were injured in the Bayardo Bar attack, which was carried out on the pretext that members of the UVF used to frequent it.

The…

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Independent.ie