What extraordinary times we live in. On April 24, the anniversary of the outbreak of the 1916 Rising, Michael D Higgins, the President of the Irish Republic, who occupies his office as a direct result of that pivotal event in our history, was busy in far off Turkey remembering members of the British army — the sworn enemies of those who fought for Irish freedom.

It’s enough to make the toes of every serving garda curl. The first member of the force has been exposed as a bigamist, forger and debtor, and was sacked for beating a prisoner.

SOME vital points regarding 1916 have been totally ignored not only by official Ireland, including all sides of the Dáil, but in the media and among the clergy.