A chara, – On attending the Arbour Hill 1916 commemoration yesterday, I wondered if I had mistakenly arrived at the wrong venue. The whole point of this ceremony is to honour the 14 men executed for leading the Rising and who are also buried in the Arbour Hill plot. Their names were barely mentioned at yesterday’s commemoration.
Through the poetry of Francis Ledwidge, we were reminded of those who died in the first World War. There appeared to be more emphasis on the British army than those who gave their lives for Irish freedom. These leaders fought against the British army and sought to rid Ireland of British rule. Where is the connection?
In this time of the centenary of commemorations we are in danger of diluting what we are actually commemorating to such an extent that it will be virtually meaningless. If we commemorate everybody, we commemorate nobody. – Is mise,
RORY O’CALLAGHAN
McDowell Avenue,
Ceannt Fort, Dublin 8.