Madam, - John Robb (June 3rd) does well to remind us of the heroic sacrifice of the men of Ballymoney (and that of their wives and sweethearts) in two world wars. Among their number was the great-hearted John Meeke, who went selflessly and heroically to the aid of Willie Redmond as he lay dying for Ireland on the field of Messen (Messines) on June 7th, 1917.
In another age John Meeke would have been knighted on the field of battle as Sir John Meeke. Instead, he was buried on his death in 1922 beside his brother in an unmarked grave in the corner of the old churchyard in Derrykeighan.
The memory of these young men continues to shame us. Why are we so faint-hearted in the cause of peace and reconciliation? We shall not have peace in Ireland until we have honoured our dead and taken to our hearts the true meaning of their great sacrifice and irreparable loss. - Yours, etc.,
GERALD MORGAN, FTCD, Arts Building, Trinity College, Dublin 2.