Armistice centenary: Why Northern Ireland’s culture divide is still an obstacle to remembering the past

The deep divide between Catholics and Protestants makes the coming together to honour the dead on both sides fraught with problems.

By William JV Neill

As city bells chime 11 o'clock on November 11, 2018, Belfast will join much of the world in observing the 100th anniversary of the Armistice that ended World War I. This will be a solemn, dignified – if not altogether inclusive – affair, affirming at the hallowed ground of the City Hall cenotaph the will to remember the ultimate sacrifice made by so many.