This was followed in the evening by a special dinner in Farmleigh, hosted by Mr Brian Hayes TD (Minister of State, Office of Public Works) and his wife Ms Genevieve Hayes. As well as the Lord Bannside, Baroness Paisley and myself , the guests included Mr Dinny McGinley TD (Minister of State, Dept of Arts, Heritage & Gaeltacht Affairs), Mr Eamon Ó Cuív TD, Ms Mary Hanafin, H.E. Mr. Robert Devriese (Amb, Belgium), H.E. Mr. Bruce Davis (Amb, Australia), H.E. Mr. Julian King ( Amb, UK) , H.E. Mr. Altay Cengizer (Amb, Turkey), Maj Gen David O’Murchoe, President, Royal British legion (RoI), Professor Maureen Murphy, Hostra University in the US, the former head of the American Conference on Irish Studies and an expert on the Scots Irish, Mr Niall Leinster, Retd Garda, Military Historian, especially the histories of Irish regiments in British service.
In attendance were Mr John Kennedy (D/Taoiseach) and Mr Chris Flynn (D/Arts, Heritage & Gaeltacht Affairs, his partner in commemorations planning and with functional responsibility – among other things – for the national cultural institutions, the National Museum, National Library, National Gallery and National Archives, and Mr Niall Burgess (D/Foreign Affairs & Trade) ….Head of the Anglo-Irish Division.
Discussion revolved primarily around the Commemoration of the Centenaries of the various battles of the First World War, and the attendant events in Irish history, which would require the close attention of all the governments represented over the next decade or so and particularly its commencement next year. The following evening, in the High Sheriff's Office in Belfast, I helped form another group, which I designated as my POSSE ( Protestants, Oireachtas, Shinners Showing Example or Sharing Experience), of how it could all equitably be achieved.
To be continued