Emma de Souza: No place for rancour in debate over President’s service stance

Michael D Higgins has made the correct decision not to attend a service commemorating partition and those criticising him are the ones who have trouble reconciling the past

President Michael D Higgins: Despite a long-recognised propensity for acute political acumen, consistency and integrity, his decision not to attend a service to commemorate partition has been met with volleys of criticism from unionist politicians in the North.

President Michael D. Higgins has stood firm in his choice to respectfully decline attendance of next month’s religious service of Ireland’s partition, citing his concern that the event had become politicised, and his presence would be inappropriate. 

Slated to take place next month, “The Centenaries of the Partition of Ireland and the Formation of Northern Ireland“ - as it is titled - is expected to commemorate a century of division on the island, and the resulting installation of Northern Ireland.