{"id":2170,"date":"2018-06-24T11:21:34","date_gmt":"2018-06-24T16:21:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=2170"},"modified":"2018-06-25T09:24:08","modified_gmt":"2018-06-25T14:24:08","slug":"foster-becomes-first-dup-leader-to-attend-ulster-football-final","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=2170","title":{"rendered":"Foster Becomes First DUP Leader to Attend Ulster Football Final"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Ulster GAA President Michael Hasson welcomes Arlene Foster to St Tiernach’s Park ahead of the Ulster GAA Football Senior Championship Final match between Donegal and Fermanagh
<\/figcaption><\/figure>Arlene Foster has become the first leader of the Democratic Unionist Party to attend the Ulster football final.<\/p>\n

Mrs Foster was applauded and cheered by GAA fans as she arrived in Clones, Co Monaghan, to watch Fermanagh play neighboring county Donegal in the showpiece event.<\/p>\n

Mrs Foster\u2019s attendance at a game synonymous with the nationalist tradition marks another symbolic milestone in cross-community engagement in the region.<\/p>\n

It comes ahead of another significant step next week when she will attend an LGBT event at Stormont.<\/p>\n

The DUP has been much criticized by gay rights activists for its resistance to same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n

As she was welcomed by Ireland\u2019s culture minister Heather Humphreys, Mrs Foster said: \u201cAll we need now is a Fermanagh win.\u201d<\/p>\n

Moments before the game kicked off Mrs Foster commented on her decision to attend.<\/p>\n

\u201cI do realize that there might be some people who may be uncomfortable, with me being here today on Sunday but let me say this I am a leader of a political party that promotes a shared society in Northern Ireland and to do that you have to take steps,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Mrs Foster was applauded by supporters of both teams as she walked up the steps to take her seat in the main stand ahead of kick off.<\/p>\n

She shook hands with Sinn Fein\u2019s Stormont leader Michelle O\u2019Neill, who was sitting just behind her.<\/p>\n

Mrs Foster and party colleague Christopher Stalford then stood with the rest of the sell out crowd as the Irish national anthem was played.<\/p>\n

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