Return to Island of Ireland Peace Park Homepage
The construction of the Peace Park was fraught with implications stretching back from 1916 itself. For many years the following WWI, the sacrifice of the Irishmen during the war was overshadowed by the Rising and Rebellion. Thus, by 1997-1998 a great deal of Irish on both sides felt it was due time they paid proper respect to these soldiers, especially as most nations who fought in the war had all preserved the memory of their fallen soldiers with national monuments in the Western Front area. Thus, the Journey of Reconciliation Trust initiated the project to build the park. They did not seek “to redress balance,” at the lack of acknowledgment in the past, but instead just honor the memory of all the fallen soldiers, both North and South. The intention of the park can best be seen in the “Peace Pledge,” which is inscribed on a bronze tablet on a granite pillar positioned in the center circle of the park and deserves to be quoted at large:
“From the crest of this ridge, which was the scene of terrific carnage in the First World War on which we have built a peace park and Round Tower to commemorate the thousands of young men from all parts of Ireland who fought a common enemy, defended democracy and the rights of all nations, whose graves are in shockingly uncountable numbers and those who have no graves, we condemn war and the futility of war. We repudiate and denounce violence, aggression, intimidation, threats and unfriendly behavior.
As Protestants and Catholics, we apologize for the terrible deeds we have done to each other and ask forgiveness. From this sacred shrine of remembrance, where soldiers of all nationalities, creeds and political allegiances were united in death, we appeal to all people in Ireland to help build a peaceful and tolerant society. Let us remember the solidarity and trust that developed between Protestant and Catholic soldiers when they served together in these trenches.
As we jointly thank the armistice of 11 November 1918 – when the guns fell silent along this western front – we affirm that a fitting tribute to the principles for which men and women from the Island of Ireland died in both World Wars would be permanent peace.
Another intention, which is clearly seen in the language of the pledge, was to serve as a symbol for modern-day reconciliation between North and South Ireland. It is further seen in the intention to detail present in the design of the park and the speech from then President President McAleese on the park’s opening ceremony in November 1998 as shown below.
(1) Wikipedia Contrinutors. “Island of Ireland Peace Park.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 12 Dec. 2016. Web. 16 Dec. 2016.
(2) Legg, Joanna, Graham Parker, and David Legg. “Island of Ireland Peace Park.” Island of Ireland Peace Park at Messines on the WW1 Ypres Salient Battlefield, Belgium.TheGreatWar.co.uk, 1998. Web. 7 Dec. 2016.