‘Crucial’ to acknowledge ‘contribution and tradition of unionists’, Ahern tells 1916 commemoration

Former taoiseach Bertie Ahern has told a 1916 Rising commemoration it is “crucial to acknowledge the historical contribution and tradition of unionists”.

Addressing the annual 1916 Relatives Association event at the Garden of Remembrance in Dublin’s Parnell Square on Saturday, Mr Ahern said: “In our pursuit of reconciliation and a shared future for all on this island, it’s crucial to acknowledge the historical contribution and tradition of unionists.

“Thanks to a more inclusive approach to writing history, there’s a growing mutual respect for both traditions.”

Mr Ahern said: “Today, the focus is on reconciliation rather than rebellion, and peace instead of sectarian conflict. We’re moving towards a shared future built on democratic consensus, replacing the conflicts of the past”.

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“Our rights empower us, but our responsibilities to each other remind us to be considerate,” he said.

“It’s genuine mutual respect that lays the foundation for a truly resilient society.”

Mr Ahern said “it’s essential to foster generosity and inclusivity so that all people of Ireland can coexist harmoniously, both among ourselves and with our neighbours.”

He told the descendants of those who fought in 1916 “the Rising helps underpin our underlying, wider commitment as a community, as set out in the Proclamation, to ensure that this “Republic guarantees religious and civil liberty, equal rights and equal opportunities to all its citizens”.

He said the Proclamation also resolved “to pursue the happiness and prosperity of the whole nation and of all its parts, cherishing all the children of the nation equally.”

Mr Ahern said the rebellion was a pivotal moment in Irish history when Patrick Pearse and James Connolly, as the leaders of the republican and Labour movements, ensured the egalitarian ideal was centrally enshrined. “This rebellion laid the groundwork for the nation we know today, making its remembrance natural and nationally important”, he said.

“Now, we envision a future where the next generation of Irish citizens can confidently build upon the foundations of prosperity and peace laid before them, making their own contributions both domestically and internationally. As a country, we have much to be proud of and reasons to be optimistic,” he said.

The commemoration included the laying of a wreath by the deputy Lord Mayor of Dublin Niall Ring and a reading of the 1916 proclamation by John Colbert and grand nephew of Con Colbert who fought in the Rebellion and was executed by firing squad in Kilmainham Gaol, Dublin, in May 1916.

A piper’s lament was played by pipe major Anthony Byrne as well as Grace, a song about Grace Plunkett who married Joseph Mary Plunkett in the chapel at Kilmainham Gaol just hours before he too was executed by a firing squad in 1916.

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