Leanfaımıd oraınn cuıṁneaṁ orṫu - We Will Remember Them

War Memorial Ward Park, Bangor

The 8th November 1987 was Remembrance Sunday, on that day I was laying a wreath on behalf of 4th Bangor Boys Brigade Company when at the other end of the Province a bomb had gone off at Enniskillen. Eleven people died that day and I know there are some in Ireland who find it hard to move on from those days of troubles.

However, as my friend Keith has pointed out on his blog attitudes have been changing in the Nationalist community. As I've mentioned here before there are 49,400 reasons from the First World War why all of Ireland should be remembering the lives given up from all communities. Earlier I've used an English and Irish (courtesy of Google Translate) version of the most famous verse of Laurence Binyon's poem For the Fallen, my friend Michael has also used it and put into another script (used below).

Unlike some of those who cannot forgive for the sake of Ireland (North and South) and our childrens' future we have to move on, we have to inhabit a shared future, actually we have to establish a shared here and now in the present.

I therefore without shame use both once again as we remember those who gave their lives, or are currently risking their lives, in the service of our nation.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.  

Tug fás ní ḃeıḋ d’aoıs, mar atá fágṫa agaınn go ḃfuıl fás d'aoıs;
Ní ḃeıḋ feıḋm ag aoıs bonn dóıḃ, ná na blıanta Cáıneann.
Ag dul síos na gréıne agus ar maıdın
Leanfaımıd oraınn cuıṁneaṁ orṫu.