Sean Barrett (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for her presentation and congratulate her on the successful launch last night. Someone from her part of the country is uniquely placed to celebrate this and it was an inspired choice of Minister.
At the Battle of the Boyne site there is a very impressive full-colour photograph of the Taoiseach of the time, Bertie Ahern, and the First Minister of Northern Ireland at the time, the Reverend Ian Paisley. It does not say "loser" under one and "winner" under the other. They are both obviously enjoying the occasion and I hope that will be the theme. I hope we do not celebrate war and that we celebrate the peace. What has been done so far is all going in that direction. The Irish ambassador laid a wreath at the cenotaph, which was the first time it was performed since 1946. The Taoiseach attending at Enniskillen has become an annual event, which is wonderful. The Tánaiste appeared in St. Patrick's Cathedral and the congregation was larger than for many years. The Minister, Deputy Humphreys, and the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Arlene Foster, MLA, appeared in St. Ann's Church. In her famous "A Uachtaráin agus a chairde" speech, the Queen said:

With the benefit of historical hindsight we can all see things which we would wish had been done differently or not at all. But it is also true that no-one who looked to the future over the past centuries could have imagined the strength of the bonds that are now in place between the governments and the people of our two nations, the spirit of partnership that we now enjoy, and the lasting rapport between us. No-one here this evening could doubt that heartfelt desire of our two nations.

The themes of remembering to reconcile, imagine, present and celebrate are appropriate in that context. I share the wish of Senators to have Cumann na mBan celebrated. It occurs to me that, in the recent European elections on the island of Ireland, we elected seven men and seven women. Perhaps we might have some events to honour the seven women, which was a magnificent achievement. Previously, we thought it would happen in Scandinavia but it happened on our island and we should celebrate it.
Events that occur to me as a parliamentarian include 25 July 1917. This was the last attempt made in Trinity College to assemble the Irish convention. Before the island split, it was the last attempt to have Unionist and Nationalist politicians agree some framework for keeping us together. It is worth organising a commemoration. We should involve the Ulster Scots as much as we can because we share the island with them. Reference was made to the RMS Lusitaniaand on 10 October 1918, the RMS Leinsterwas sunk off Dún Laoghaire by one of the last acts of the German navy in that period. It should also be celebrated.
The theme of reconciliation is important. A long time ago, I heard the then Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, Terence O'Neill, being asked what 1916 meant and he said it meant the Battle of the Somme. Many of us did not know as much then as we know now and thought it was an insensitive thing to say but now we know the complex world at a time, as Senator Mac Conghail said. We honour all the people who had to take up arms, as they saw it, to free this country and who thought they could free the country by fighting on behalf of Belgium and other countries.
We should include those who are airbrushed out of history, such as regiments like the Dublin Fusiliers and the Connaught Rangers and others that have memorabilia hidden away in church vaults. Some of them are in Windsor and during his successful visit there, President Higgins saw some of the memorabilia. It is part of the history of this country. The police force of the day, the Royal Irish Constabulary, is also part of the history. The vast majority did not join in the expectation that if the Government changed they would be out of a job. In our democracy, if the Government changes, the membership of the Garda Síochána does not change and I am sure people joined the police force to maintain law and order and were esteemed in their communities. There is a small police museum in Dublin Castle and an impressive one in Cahersiveen, County Kerry. It is a part of life.
We could bring in what workers did as Dublin was a major distilling and biscuit making centre. These products were world exports at the time. Distilling has moved to other parts of Ireland, although it may be reviving, and biscuit making is also gone. There is an immense shared heritage in our past and the best thing that is happening to Ireland since the peace process is how much the two traditions are coming to understand each other and work together. In this room last Friday, the joint chairs of the North-South Interparliamentary Association were Mr. Peter Weir, MLA, and Caitríona Ruane, MLA, along with the Ceann Comhairle. They gave a fine chairing of a meeting that was most valuable to promote better educational links and better tourism links between the two states on the island. The public looks forward positively and it reflects well on what has happened up to now. Ireland will be a better place as we understand our shared history when we get to the end of the celebrations of the centenary period.