Irish Examiner view: It is time to pull together and reenergise Northern Ireland peace deal

While the people of Northern Ireland have shown willingness to overcome differences, there have also been those unwilling to move on from historic and entrenched attitudes

An illegal dissident republican parade through Derry's Creggan district saw police attacked by masked protesters. Petrol bombs were thrown at the PSNI, but thankfully no one was hurt. Picture: Liam McBurney/PA

It was quite sobering yesterday to watch the activities in Derry as Ireland and the broader world paused to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, as people north and south prepared to welcome US president Joe Biden to mark the occasion.

An illegal dissident republican parade through the city’s Creggan district saw police attacked by masked protesters. Petrol bombs were thrown at the PSNI, but thankfully no one was hurt.

The people of Ireland and many across the globe cheered the Good Friday Agreement as an end to 30 years of violence, mayhem, and death, but those who thought it was the end to the Troubles have been made to think again by violent displays such as yesterday’s.

Paramilitary groups from both sides of the divide still largely control the underworld in Northern Ireland, peddling drugs, inflicting punishment beatings, running extortion rackets, and recruiting young men and women.

If people thought that all that militant criminality had been swept aside by the Good Friday Agreement, they were wrong.

But yesterday’s anniversary presented all those with a vested interest in peace in Northern Ireland with an opportunity to press the reset button. With Mr Biden coming to Ireland and British prime minister Rishi Sunak reminding everyone that ‘compromise’ was needed to restore a working government in Stormont, there is evidence of hope.

The agreement highlighted the work of those who displayed great bravery, political imagination, and downright perseverance, and right now we need to see a lot more of those characteristics coming to the fore.

Ireland is at a crossroads and while the people of Northern Ireland have shown their willingness to overcome seemingly insurmountable differences, there have also been those unwilling to move on from historic and entrenched attitudes.

If we are to see another 25 years of peace and prosperity in Northern Ireland, the legacy of the agreement and the spirit of trust established by its architects must be re-energised.

Undoubtedly, Mr Biden’s visit to Ireland will underscore the established economic benefits of peace and the promise of future prosperity, but those on the ground — especially in the political sphere — will have to pull together to make it a reality and not merely an aspiration.