Sinead O'Connor has posted an angry riposte to claims that she has withdrawn her application to join Sinn Féin.
It had been reported that the singer - who claimed last year that she was motivated to join the party by the desire for political change in Ireland - had had a change of heart after she wrote a lengthy post on Facebook discussing next year's Easter Rising centenary and ending partition.
She now says that her intention was taken up incorrectly by The Guardian and numerous other sources, who wrote that she was withdrawing her application because she felt that Sinn Féin were not serious about ending partition in Ireland.
In a Facebook post published last night, she says that the party continues to have her 'utmost support'. She has also changed her profile picture to a poster urging people to 'Keep Calm and Vote Sinn Féin'.
"NOWHERE DOES ANYTHING I SAID SUPPORT IT," she wrote.
"WHOMEVER READ MY FACEBOOK POST ENTITLED 'LET'S TALK ABOUT IT' AND GLEANED THIS BULLSHIT FROM IT NEEDS TO GO TO SPECSAVERS.
I DID NOT WITHDRAW MY APPLICATION TO JOIN SINN FEIN. NOR WOULD I.
I HAVE THE GREATEST OF ADMIRATION FOR SINN FEIN AND ENTIRELY SUPPORT THEM, AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO.
AT NO STAGE DID I STATE ANYWHERE THAT I HAD WITHDRAWN MY APPLICATION TO JOIN.
NOR DID I STATE SINN FEIN ARE NOT SERIOUS ABOUT ENDING PARTITION. NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH. F.F.S, ENDING PARTITION IS THE ENTIRE EFFIN' FOUNDATION OF THE PARTY.
I MIGHT ADD THAT I CONSIDER THE ACCUSATION THAT I SAID SUCH A THING TO BE LIBELLOUS"
The full post can be read here.
