Leave out the military parade

IRELAND was not born in 1798, 1916 or 1922. Ireland has been around as long as people could share a sense of community, always there and always changing.

It is ridiculous for any one culture, religion, group or community to lay claim to Ireland. Ireland is much more than a place, a nation or an island; it is a state of mind.

All over the world on March 17 people celebrate in peaceful, colourful parades what it means to be Irish. Let’s leave military parades to the Americans, the Chinese and North Koreans; they have nothing to do with being Irish.