In the wake of the Omagh bomb outrage, deep anger is festering in Dundalk at the two leading dissident republicans who live and operate a business in the town.
Politicians, business people, and shoppers on the streets expressed outrage yesterday at the continued operation of a shop run by the former leading Provisional IRA member, Mr Michael McKevitt, and his partner, Ms Bernadette Sands-McKevitt, the vice-chairwoman of the breakaway 32-County Sovereignty Movement.
The business closed for most of the day on Tuesday after hostile and threatening calls were received. It opened for business all day yesterday, but Ms Sands-McKevitt refused to speak to reporters who called to the shop.
A peace vigil took place at a car park near the couple's home in Blackrock, near Dundalk, last night. Hundreds of people gathered in silence, holding lighted candles. Earlier they had decided not to march on the house, which one participant said would be "a bit like vigilantism".
Next Saturday afternoon a mass peace rally is planned for the town. Shops and businesses will close early to encourage maximum attendance at the rally.
Ms Sands-McKevitt went on RTE radio yesterday to say neither she nor her husband had any association with the Omagh bombers, and to condemn the attack in which 28 civilians were killed.
This followed the publication of Mr McKevitt's photograph in some newspapers yesterday, with reports that he and Ms Sands-McKevitt had denied involvement.
Asked yesterday if she would call on groupings such as the `Real IRA' to disband, Ms Sands-McKevitt replied: "I don't think that's for me to do because I don't think people are listening in that sense. It's up to them to do."
She told Joe Duffy on RTE's Liveline: "I don't agree with violence such as we've witnessed, I don't agree with that at all. I have to say, I do think, I would prefer we see this by peaceful means."
She added: "There are always, and have always been, people who have been engaged in violence from whatever quarter be it from Irish republicanism, be it from the British or whatever, and I said this before, if we don't address the problem how are we going to solve it."
It emerged yesterday that the management of the Long Walk shopping centre, where the McKevitts have their shop, is examining whether their lease can be terminated. A senior executive from the company that manages the centre arrived in Dundalk yesterday to examine the situation.
The shop, The Print Junction, sells printed T-shirts, heraldry plaques, and other tourist items, as well as providing a photograph enlargement service.
Angry shoppers told reporters outside they wanted the shop to close. "The cheek of them to open that shop on the day of the funerals," one woman said. "They have brought disgrace to the name of Dundalk," a trader said.
Yesterday the New York lawyer, Mr Martin Galvin, who helped arrange a trip to the US some months ago for Ms Sands-McKevitt, said her second trip, planned for next month, was being reconsidered.