Yesterday marked the 42nd anniversary of the Kingsmill massacre, one of the most grotesque atrocities of the Troubles which saw 10 innocent men murdered by the Provisional IRA.

Yet it was also marked by another screening of Sinn Féin’s West Tyrone MP, Barry McElduff, trying his utmost to be an internet sensation with his class clown-esq type videos. This one, however, could be northern-irishly described as ‘way below the belt’. The video showed McElduff posing in a service station with a Kingsmill branded loaf of bread on his head.

Twitter quickly decided that this couldn’t be shrugged off as bad timing or an unfortunate coincidence, but instead a deliberate jibe towards those mourning the victims of the Kingsmill massacre.

One could ask, ‘could he really be so foolish; would he really act out of such malice on such a sombre day?’

Whether it was just impeccably bad timing or not, the lack of self-awareness from an MP whose party mantra has been ‘respect’ over the past twelve months – even pulling down our democratic institutions because of their perceived lack of it – is every bit as infuriating.

Despite McElduff removing the video and posting a public apology, the silence from Sinn Féin’s leadership is deafening. In July 2016, ex-North Antrim MLA Daithí McKay, then chair of the Stormont committee over-seeing the inquiry into NAMA, was pushed to resign from his elected role and from the party following an exchange of “inappropriate” communications with loyalist spokesperson Jamie Bryson, a witness to the inquiry. Could the lack of comment from party colleagues and the party leadership suggest the same fate awaits the West Tyrone MP?

As the party has gone to great lengths to change its public face in recent months, such as with the introduction of John Finucane in North Belfast, the debut of young female politicians such as Órlaithí Flynn in West Belfast and Elisha McCallion in Foyle and, some would argue, the impending retirement of Gerry Adams, McElduff’s actions will be seen as one step forward and two steps back.

At a time when politicians are so closely scrutinised, self-awareness is key to keeping yourself out of the hot bed of media attention. Like it or not, politicians should be held to a higher account for their actions as public representatives entrusted with a mandate from the taxpayer.

In a post-conflict society where wounds are still raw and families – many left without justice – are still grieving, we all have a responsibility to proceed with caution, in our work places, daily conversations, and especially on public platforms.

Whatever the intent, McElduff’s actions are indicative of the daily struggle which our society faces in trying to move on from our troubled past, only to be hauled back by the reckless actions of a small minority.