The fast food company make a misstep by referencing the 1972 atrocity in which 14 people died
There's 'tone-deaf', and then there's just plain offensive.
Irish people have been reacting with a mixture of both bemusement and horror at a picture that has been shared on Twitter.
Twitter user @bigmonsterlove first posted the image, which was taken in a McDonald's in Portugal.
It advertises a new Halloween-themed sundae dessert, the 'McDonald's Sundae Bloody Sundae' - a reference to the Bloody Sunday massacre which took place in Derry in 1972, in which 14 unarmed civilians were killed by British soldiers. In addition, there were two further Bloody Sundays in Irish history - in 1920 and 1913.
Some have speculated that they are referencing the U2 song 'Sunday Bloody Sunday' - but considering the song was about the Bloody Sunday massacre, it's not hard to put two and two together.
Others have also been comparing McDonald's tone-deafness to Nike, who infamously released the 'Black and Tan' trainers for St. Patrick's Day back in 2012.
Ben & Jerry's also released a 'Black and Tan' ice-cream at one point.
See the reaction below:
@mcdonalds please tive some fucking history lessons to your marketing department in Portugal. That is sick. https://t.co/qiDp4lWkKZ
โ Rodrigo Rivera ๐ต๐ธ (@sougrandemano) October 30, 2019
@McDonalds Portugal... Have you gone out of your fucking minds? https://t.co/0kUHdS4kNS
โ Jeroen Keerl ๐๐๐๐ (@KEERL_IT) October 30, 2019
@McDonalds in Portugal (and anywhere else this shit is on sale) - you can fuck right off. https://t.co/xuqAdlsX0Z
โ Chris Gray โญโญ ๐ฎ๐ช๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ๐ช๐บ (@chriostoir_g) October 30, 2019
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โ Barry Walsh (@bazzwalsh) October 30, 2019
Jesus Portugal that is not ok pic.twitter.com/OnA8FCcQ4P
โ ????? ?โ????? (@artimusfoul) October 30, 2019
@McDonalds ..not ok!
โ Eva Corbett (@CorbettEva) October 30, 2019
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So far, McDonald's have not commented on the matter.
UPDATE, 2PM Oct 31st: McDonald's Portugal have issued an apology and say that the 'Sundae Bloody Sundae' campaign has been pulled.
In a statement to The Guardian, they said: "When promoting its Halloween Sundae ice cream, McDonaldโs Portugal developed a local market activation for a small number of its restaurants inย Portugal.