Successful end to pardons campaign

I WISH to express my gratitude for the support given by the Irish Examiner to the campaign — now successful — for pardons for those unjustly shot at dawn in World War I.

Truly these victims of war and their long-suffering families have been called upon to display heroism of a special kind in the service of their countries.

In years to come that heroism in itself will not go unremarked.

The persistence of the efforts required to produce this happy outcome in the removal of all stigmatisation reminds us that heroes are required in today’s world no less than in the trenches of France and Belgium in 1914-1918.

I am happy in particular to pay tribute to the selfless devotion of John Hipkin in England and Peter Mulvany here in Ireland. The love of justice of the people of Britain and Ireland has once again been vindicated.

We must now seek to build on this act of vindication for the only way in which we can properly vindicate the sacrifices of our grandparents is by establishing a permanent peace and friendship between Britain and Ireland.

In the midst of such common misery and desolation there ought to be no space left any more for bigotry and hatred to flourish.

Dr Gerald Morgan

School of English

Trinity College

Dublin 2