PIC: Fine Gael Senator urges Irish people to wear shamrock-poppy pin

Just like Christmas, poppy season is getting earlier every year.

Fine Gael Senator Frank Feighan has come under fire for urging Irish people to wear a Remembrance poppy shamrock pin. The pin, which serves to commemorate the Irish soldiers who died fighting for the British Army in World War I, is similar to one worn by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in the Dáil last year. Feighan, who is based in Boyle, Co. Roscommon, spoke to Ocean FM and urged others to wear the poppy pin, saying "We have airbrushed these young men [who died] out of history". The senator has posted over 1,000 shamrock poppy pins to politicians by a local Senator to commemorate the Irish war dead, to be distributed to members of the public. Feighan came under criticism this morning on Highland Radio, for using official Oireachtas postage to distribute to the pins. Feighan has justified the move by pointing out the huge numbers of Irish people who died fighting in the war — including 598 from County Sligo. https://twitter.com/FrankFeighan/status/1039482542758486016 https://twitter.com/FrankFeighan/status/1039394308955156482 https://twitter.com/GregHughes2/status/1039804971708047361 The poppy has become a source of annual debate in Ireland — in particular as footballer James McClean has objected to wearing the symbol when playing in the English Football League.