Ireland footballers' IRA chant 'utterly insensitive' to victims - DUP

A video showing members of the Ireland national women's football team singing a pro-IRA chant has been described as "outrageous" and "utterly insensitive" to victims.

It comes after the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) apologised for the video, which circulated online after Ireland qualified for the Women's World Cup for the first time.

Ireland international players Chloe Mustaki and Aine O'Gorman have apologised publicly for the comments, with Ms Mustaki saying "we need to do better".

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said he was glad to see the quick apology from the FAI.

"There is no place for the glorification of terror. For those who wonder why we find this chant offensive, just google La Mon, Kingsmill or Darkley and see why the sectarian violence of the IRA should never be trivialised."

Ireland's Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney said that "clearly there was a mistake made after the match last night".

"That shouldn't have happened. I think it's acknowledged and there's a very sincere apology made, and I hope we can move on from that now because last night was about sport, primarily."

South Down DUP MLA Diane Forsythe said she would be writing to the FAI to ask what steps are going to be taken next.

"Republican terrorists were responsible for 60% of the deaths during the Troubles," Ms Forsythe said.

"People of all ages, all genders and all faiths were systematically targeted and murdered in the most cruel manner by the PIRA.

"Some of those families whose loved ones were murdered have never even been told where the IRA buried their loved one.

"This was a barbaric, cruel and illegal terrorist organisation. For the team to be singing such a song is quite outrageous and utterly insensitive to PIRA victims.

"I will be asking the FAI how they are going to give leadership across grassroots football so as this pro-IRA chanting is stopped at future events."

TUV spokeswoman Lorna Smyth said the apology given was "bland" and didn't go far enough.

"A bland apology which says sorry for any offence without clearly spelling out why a song glorifying the IRA is offensive isn't enough," she said.

Ms Mustaki reiterated the apology and said they were "quite embarrassed".

"We're all really sorry here in Dublin, obviously massive lapse in judgment on our end. Lots going on when the final whistle went and we absolutely didn't mean to cause any hurt on our end and we do really apologise for that, absolutely.

"We need to learn in these moments to be better and to do better. We've all been brought up knowing a lot about Irish history.

"We just need to be better in moments like this and we recognise that absolutely on our end," she told Sky News.

Ms O'Gorman said they got caught up in the moment.

"We sang a hundred songs last night and that was obviously the one that went out. We'd just like to apologise for it, anyone who was offended," she told RTE Sport.

In a statement on Wednesday, the FAI and the team manager of Ireland's national team Vera Pauw both apologised for any offence caused by the incident.

Ireland manager Vera Pauw said: "We apologise from the bottom of our hearts to anyone who has been offended by the content of the post-match celebrations after we had just qualified for the World Cup.

"We will review this with the players and remind them of their responsibilities in this regard.

"I have spoken with players this morning and we are sorry collectively for any hurt caused, there can be no excuse for that."