Sacrifices remembered at Cenotaph

Glen Barr of the International School for Peace Studies, who is organising the event as part of the North East PEACE III Partnership’s Messines Experience Programme, said: “For some years now, people from all parts of Ireland and from all walks of life, have gathered in the Flanders region of Belgium for the “Island of Ireland Week”. The occasion commemorates the men from Ireland, north and south who fought and died together at the Battle of Messines in Belgium on 7th June 1917. The commemoration consists of a parade through the village of Messines to a Commemoration Service at the Island of Ireland Peace Park; this is followed by a second parade through Ypres to a Service of Remembrance held at the Menin Gate Memorial. However in recent years this annual commemoration has been held in Londonderry.”

In explaining the decision to hold the event in Northern Ireland, Glen said: “It is all very fine parading and meeting up in Belgium and France but it is in the towns and cities of this island that we must display our appreciation for those who fought and died together in foreign battlefields and through their sacrifice learn to co-exist on this island.”

In keeping with this philosophy, this year’s commemoration will begin with a visit to John Meeke’s Grave in Ballymoney on Saturday, June 4, followed by a presentation of certificates to participants on the North East Peace III Messines Experience Programme. The Messines Experience Programme is being co-ordinated by the International School for Peace Studies and is funded under the European Union’s PEACE III programme, managed for the Special EU Programme Body by the North East PEACE III Partnership. The programme focuses on the real life experiences of the 36th Ulster Division and the 16th Irish Division, who fought together at the Battle of Messines in Belgium on June 7, 1917.

On Sunday, June 5 two memorial services will be held, the first in the morning at the Cenotaph Coleraine, followed by a service in the afternoon at the Cenotaph in Derry/Londonderry.

He continued: “As is our custom in Messines, an official Colour Party of the flags representing those nationalities that were engaged in the battle of Messines will be carried at the Cenotaph. The flags are those of Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom.”

“Whilst historians will argue that there was no Irish Tricolour at the time of the battle we at the International School for Peace Studies believe that it is in the spirit of brotherhood and recognition of Irish Nationalists who died alongside their colleagues of the 36th Ulster Division that the flag they would have regarded as their national flag should be carried in their memory.”

Invitations to the commemoration services are being extended to MP’s, MLA’s, TD’s, Political Parties, Councils, Military Associations, International representatives including Embassy’s, Consuls, and the general public. “It is hoped that as many as possible will help us remember those who fought and died in Flanders so that their souls which have haunted those foreign battlefields for the past 90 years can rest in peace” said Glen.