Dismay at Ahern cancellation

Work has been continuing on the memorial site

The decision by Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern to cancel a private trip to Scotland has been met with dismay in the community he was due to visit.

Mr Ahern had been due to unveil a memorial to victims of the Irish potato famine at the Catholic Carfin Grotto, near Glasgow, on Sunday.

The Taoiseach was also due to attend a decisive league match between Celtic and Rangers before going to Lanarkshire for the unveiling.

I am quite amazed the event has been cancelled. I think Frank Roy has misjudged the situation

Frank Devlin, groundsman

However, Mr Ahern cancelled the trip after local Labour MP Frank Roy wrote warning him that, due to the Old Firm clash, police would be at full stretch, potentially undermining security.

Mr Roy, whose Motherwell and Wishaw constituency covers Carfin Grotto, said he told the Irish Government the Taoiseach's arrival was badly timed.

Father Joe Kelly, of St Francis Xavier Catholic Church, expressed disappointment at the change of plan, adding that the memorial was an ecumenical tribute.

He said: "Victims of the Irish famine were across the divide. There were Catholic victims as well as non-Catholic victims of the famine, so it is something ecumenical.

"If you talk by and large to like-minded people, around here and around any place in the central belt, you find that people are wondering why this was cancelled.

Frank Roy: Security concerns

"I'm sure people, on the whole are very disappointed."

Frank Devlin, head groundsman at Carfin for the past 12 years, said: "I despair of the peace talks in Northern Ireland when you have politicians reacting in this fashion.

"We don't have a climate like Northern Ireland's. We don't want to generate one.

"The local police told me eight officers would be on duty on Sunday. They would mostly control the traffic in Carfin Road.

"I am quite amazed the event has been cancelled. I think Frank Roy has misjudged the situation."

The inscription at the foot of the cross is testimony to the sudden change of plan.

The inscription has already been carved

It reads: "This memorial was unveiled by An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern TD on 11 February 2001."

Horticultural landscaper Kirsty Campbell, from Motherwell, said she had been looking forward to attending Sunday's ceremony.

She said: "I didn't for a minute think there would be any trouble. There are quite a lot of us here who are Protestants. We would never have come here if we didn't want to.

"After all the hard work its a shame the event is not going to happen."

A Strathclyde Police spokesman said the force had not advised Mr Roy or anyone else to cancel Mr Ahern's visit.

He said: "This is a political decision and not one we had a hand in.

"We do not discuss our security arrangements but had planned for the event as we saw fit."