Jennifer Horgan: Why I could never send my children to war — and neither should Ireland

As war rhetoric grows, Ireland must uphold its peace-first stance, rejecting militarisation and reaffirming diplomacy as its global role

A Russian soldier fires from a howitzer toward Ukrainian position in the Kursk region in October 2024. Russian regions experiencing the highest rates of poverty have mobilized the largest share of conscripts to be sent to fight in Ukraine. File picture: Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP

My youngest doesn’t like a blaring radio. Turning the dial, she shakes her wise little head. "Much better" she says.

It can be a relief to retreat into silence, especially these days. Her small act of defiance reminds me that I have power too. I don’t need to listen to the loudest voices, leading us now towards war.