A stronger relationship - A welcome invitation

NOT so very long ago, marking, much less celebrating, the achievements of the British army was almost a taboo subject in Ireland.

There were good and powerful reasons for this but strengthened relationships mean that we can reach into the past to build a future unimagined by those who, in their time, would have vehemently opposed any such ceremonies.

It is another unfortunate reality of our histories that these objections marginalised many Irish people who served in the British or Allied forces with the highest of ideals and the greatest integrity.

It is another welcome indication of how time changes nearly everything that the Government has been invited to participate in the Somme and Remembrance Sunday commemorations in Belfast.

Acknowledging the role of thousands of Irishmen and women in the Allied forces during both world wars puts our relationship with our nearest neighbour on a more honest and solid footing.