Recently I made my way to the 1916 Memorial in Dublin, Ireland. It commemorates those who died during the Easter Rising. You may not be aware, but most of the Irish leaders back then were imprisoned and shot by the British. Their bodies were buried in lime so there’d be nothing left to reveal the British State was used as an instrument of terror. The public outcry over what happened there began the process towards the peace Northern Ireland enjoys today.
Visiting the Memorial was such a moving experience for me. I stood in front of the proclamation wall. It’s inside a beautiful and serene parkland. Now, families share this place together.
So many of today’s events remind me of what happened in Ireland all those years ago; close communities at war with each other and terror all around.
Reflecting on this, in the beautiful Memorial parklands, I can’t help thinking that the peace we all yearn for in the world seems so far away. However, I’ve also learned that with good will, commitment, courage and leadership peace really can be just around the corner.
