Paisley's Final Filthy Act

After half a century of bile-spouting, it was going to take more than a few cheesy photos with Martin McGuinness to prove that Ian Paisley had finally seen the light. Actions speak louder than words, and Paisley's refusal to meet Eugene Reavey this week or apologise to him for the sickening accusations he levelled against the south Armagh man shows the departing First Minister's true colours.

Mr Reavey's three brothers were slughtered in Whitecross by the brutal Glenanne Gang in 1976. In the immediate aftermath of these vicious killings, a short distance away ten Protestant workmen were killed in equally cold blood by the IRA. Under Parliamentary Privilege in 1999, Ian Paisley made the ludicrous accusation that Eugene Reavey "set up the Kingsmills massacre", despite the fact that he had barely even got his head around the slaying of his own brothers at the time. The sole survivor of the Kingsmills massacre, Alan Black, has rejected Paisley's allegations which the former DUP leader claimed were based on a "police dossier". Indeed, in January 2007, the PSNI Historical Enquiries Team apologised to the Reavey family for allegations that the three brothers killed in 1976 were IRA members or that Eugene Reavey had been involved in the Kingsmills attack. This was the final nail in the coffin of the claims, yet they still have not been retracted by the former DUP leader.

Ian Paisley and the DUP claim to care about victims and their needs, yet it's clear that Paisley doesn't give a toss about the fact that he added doses of salt to Eugene Reavey's very painful wounds.

Behind the chuckles lies the truth.

Ian Paisley had the perfect opportunity this week to mend his ways and apologise to Eugene Reavey when the south Armagh man visited Stormont with Newry and Armagh MLA Dominic Bradley. But he failed to do so.

If Ian Paisley has any decency whatsoever, he will immediately offer a full apology to Eugene Reavey for the grossly offensive accusations he made. The way he has treated this man is not the way of God, but is more reminiscent of darkness. Let us hope he repents.