Menu
05/06/2007
Senator Hayes delivers Peace speech
Senator Maurice Hayes last night delivered the latest in the Tip O’Neill at the University of Ulster’s Magee campus.
Addressing an invited in the Great Hall, Senator Hayes took as his theme ‘Moving Out Of Conflict’.
He said: “There is a lot to be said for drawing the line, in order to let politics and mutual trust develop. The present democratic institutions are a delicate graft on a rootstock riddled with memories of sectarian struggles, deeply rooted in centuries of animosity.
“There is a real danger that the graft might not take if there is too much scrabbling in the underground looking for evidence of the bad husbandry or the criminal neglect of yesteryear.
“The general political will that the institutions should be made to work, should be allowed to do so, could easily be frustrated if we insist on picking at the sores of old wounds, raising old ghosts, revive old animosities and suspicions, and most of all shattering the burgeoning trust which is a prerequisite for peaceful co-existence and co-operation.”
Turning to the memories and investigations into the events of Bloody Sunday, Senator Hayes was unconvinced that the long, expensive enquiry will uncover any essential new truth about that day.
“I do not believe that the Saville Enquiry will unearth the essential truth, the definitive account of the events on Bloody Sunday, which are so deeply incised on the psyche of this city,” he said.
“I can think of many better things to do for the families of victims and survivors for £200m. And if Bloody Sunday, why not inquiries for every other atrocity beginning at Abercorn and ending at Omagh?”
Concluding, Senator Hayes called for a loosening of the tightly-packed knot of competing national identities on the island of Ireland, for a kind of breathing space in which new forms of everyday living and ordinariness could develop and flourish, free from the animosities and passions of the past.
(JM/SP)
Addressing an invited in the Great Hall, Senator Hayes took as his theme ‘Moving Out Of Conflict’.
He said: “There is a lot to be said for drawing the line, in order to let politics and mutual trust develop. The present democratic institutions are a delicate graft on a rootstock riddled with memories of sectarian struggles, deeply rooted in centuries of animosity.
“There is a real danger that the graft might not take if there is too much scrabbling in the underground looking for evidence of the bad husbandry or the criminal neglect of yesteryear.
“The general political will that the institutions should be made to work, should be allowed to do so, could easily be frustrated if we insist on picking at the sores of old wounds, raising old ghosts, revive old animosities and suspicions, and most of all shattering the burgeoning trust which is a prerequisite for peaceful co-existence and co-operation.”
Turning to the memories and investigations into the events of Bloody Sunday, Senator Hayes was unconvinced that the long, expensive enquiry will uncover any essential new truth about that day.
“I do not believe that the Saville Enquiry will unearth the essential truth, the definitive account of the events on Bloody Sunday, which are so deeply incised on the psyche of this city,” he said.
“I can think of many better things to do for the families of victims and survivors for £200m. And if Bloody Sunday, why not inquiries for every other atrocity beginning at Abercorn and ending at Omagh?”
Concluding, Senator Hayes called for a loosening of the tightly-packed knot of competing national identities on the island of Ireland, for a kind of breathing space in which new forms of everyday living and ordinariness could develop and flourish, free from the animosities and passions of the past.
(JM/SP)
Related Northern Ireland News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.
21 November 2024
5 New Trends Sweeping The Online Gaming Industry
Online gaming is constantly changing. Each year, new trends emerge that shape the experiences of millions of players worldwide. This year is no different, with several exciting shifts capturing the attention of gamers everywhere.
5 New Trends Sweeping The Online Gaming Industry
Online gaming is constantly changing. Each year, new trends emerge that shape the experiences of millions of players worldwide. This year is no different, with several exciting shifts capturing the attention of gamers everywhere.
19 November 2024
Seating Matters To Create 62 New Jobs In £3.7m Investment
Economy Minister Conor Murphy has announced a significant investment by Seating Matters, a leading global manufacturer of therapeutic seating solutions. The company will invest £3.7 million in its facilities in Limavady and Derry, creating 62 new jobs over the next two years.
Seating Matters To Create 62 New Jobs In £3.7m Investment
Economy Minister Conor Murphy has announced a significant investment by Seating Matters, a leading global manufacturer of therapeutic seating solutions. The company will invest £3.7 million in its facilities in Limavady and Derry, creating 62 new jobs over the next two years.
15 November 2024
Belfast City Council Approves Range Of Transformative Projects
Belfast City Council's Planning Committee has given the green light to a series of projects aimed at transforming the city's landscape. One significant development is the redevelopment of the former police station at 21 Queen Street into a 74-bedroom hotel.
Belfast City Council Approves Range Of Transformative Projects
Belfast City Council's Planning Committee has given the green light to a series of projects aimed at transforming the city's landscape. One significant development is the redevelopment of the former police station at 21 Queen Street into a 74-bedroom hotel.
25 November 2024
Other News In Brief
DfC Launch Public Consultation On Gender Pay Gap A consultation on proposed changes to Section 19 of the Employment Act (Northern Ireland) relating to the requirements for employers to publish information on the pay of male and female employees has been launched by the Department for Communities.
Other News In Brief
DfC Launch Public Consultation On Gender Pay Gap A consultation on proposed changes to Section 19 of the Employment Act (Northern Ireland) relating to the requirements for employers to publish information on the pay of male and female employees has been launched by the Department for Communities.
18 November 2024
69-Year-Old Extradited From Spain To Face Child Abuse Charges
A 69-year-old man has been extradited from Spain to stand trial Northern Ireland for child-related sexual offences that occurred in the mid-1980s and early 1990s.
69-Year-Old Extradited From Spain To Face Child Abuse Charges
A 69-year-old man has been extradited from Spain to stand trial Northern Ireland for child-related sexual offences that occurred in the mid-1980s and early 1990s.
-
Northern Ireland WeatherToday:A chilly start with a widespread frost and some freezing fog, any freezing fog slow to clear. Otherwise bright with sunny spells and coastal showers. Light winds. Maximum temperature 6 °C.Tonight:Coastal showers dying out with a widespread frost developing along with freezing fog, which could become extensive. Winds remaining light. Minimum temperature -3 °C.
