Line of Duty star Martin Compston denies singing IRA lyrics at Celtic convention

17 June 2022, 08:59 | Updated: 17 June 2022, 09:17

Line of Duty star Martin Compston has said he ‘unequivocally’ did not sing sectarian songs at a Celtic fans' convention in the United States.

Video footage circulated online that went viral showed the actor singing on stage at the Celtic Supporters Federation (NACSF) event alongside former Celtic FC players Alan Thompson and Bobby Petta in Las Vegas.

Chants of 'IRA' can be heard as the crowd sings the 1972 song 'Beautiful Sunday', a song synonymous with the Glasgow club.

Compston, wearing last season’s Celtic top, can be seen pointing in the air and singing as football fans in the audience chant: “Irish Republican Army. It’s the I-I-I-IRA.”

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Martin posted online yesterday: "Not best pleased to wake up to a story eight hours ahead of me before I’ve had the right to reply.

"Let me be absolutely clear, I unequivocally did not sing ANY sectarian songs.

"I’ve worked in Belfast too long to see damage done to think this stuff is a laugh.

"If people want to change lyrics to a song that’s sung at Celtic Park, weddings, Still Game wherever that’s up to them I’m not the lyric police.

"If it was an IRA song and I was onstage bobbing along I would understand the story, but I’m pretty sure Daniel Boone had nothing more than Beautiful Sundays in mind when he wrote the song and that’s what I was singing."

In a statement to the Scottish Sun, he said: “To be absolutely clear, I 100 per cent did not sing any IRA lyrics.

“You will see from the footage, I actually pulled up and told others to stop when the words were being changed.

The video drew criticism on social media. One person said: “That is pretty damaging to Compston tbh and you can tell he knows it too.”