Commemorating our journey to nationhood will not be easy
Josepha Madigan: Authentic commemoration challenges us to open our hearts to each other
Sinn Féin leaders at the first Dáil Éireann in 1919. Photograph: Hulton Archive
We are now entering the most challenging and sensitive phase of the Decade of Centenaries, equipped with an appreciation that commemoration can be complex, deeply personal and sometimes divisive. Authentic commemoration requires us to approach the consideration of the difficult legacies of our past with understanding, empathy and a generosity of spirit, to respect all traditions and to value equally the dignity of all lives that were lost. It is not easy. Authentic commemoration challenges us to open our hearts to each other in a spirit of mutual respect and kindness. We are invited to consider the possibility of multiple perspectives about historical events, which may contradict or complicate the agreed and accepted narrative.
If we meet this challenge with confidence and with courage, the rewards are immense and enriching. What may have been forgotten or bitterly contested in the past now has the potential to empower reconciliation and ensure that historic grievances do not recur.