China must step in and control sociopathic neighbour North Korea

DRIVING through Kerry a few summers ago, I decided to drive the back road from Tralee to Listowel to take in a little-known piece of Irish history.

In the tiny village of Lixnaw (population under 300) a marble memorial plaque commemorates the 29 Irishmen, mostly from Mayo, Limerick, Cork and Kerry, who were killed in the Korean War of 1950-53 while conscripted in the US Army. They were posthumously granted American citizenship.

In the grounds of Belfast City Hall stands a further monument to the 208 soldiers of the Royal Ulster Rifles who were killed or wounded in 1951 at the battle of so-called Happy Valley in the successful defence of Seoul from Chinese troops.