“Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Theresa Villiers, Monsieur le sous Préfet de La Somme Baptiste Rolland, Minister of State Jonathan Bell, Irish Minister of State Dinny Mc Ginley, Distinguished Guests, My Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen, On behalf of the Somme Association may I welcome you to our annual Somme Commemoration ceremony.
On this day, 1st July 1916, 98 years ago, at the commencement of the Battle of the Somme, the men of the famous 36th (Ulster) Division advanced out of Thiepval Wood behind you towards this point on the Schwaben Redoubt and on reaching here, passed into the pages of history, legend and high renown. This advance, when they sustained 5,500 casualties, under continuous fire, is for us the most memorable single episode of the First World War.
It may be that there are certain setbacks of such magnitude and heroism, in this case the enormous losses of the 36th Ulster Division here at the Somme, that they serve to sustain and temper a people instead of weakening them. Or else, perhaps the setbacks come to have an energising, emblematic power. Perhaps, it may be that the Somme has come to symbolise unconsciously the thwarted nationhood of the Ulster People. Perhaps at the level of community consciousness the loss of the sons of Ulster and the founding of Northern Ireland are intertwined. The Battle of the Somme became Northern Ireland.
The supremely impressive Stormont Parliament Buildings and the splendidly reassuring Burgher Palace, the Belfast City Hall, epitomise that symbolism in our time. So it is that we feel reassured in the presence here today of representatives of our MLA’s, Mayors, Aldermen and women, and Councillors, from Councils throughout Northern Ireland, constituting as many of them do our Somme Advisory Council.
En ce jour sacré nous commémorons le sacrifice de ces héros tombés pour la liberté. Nous ne cherchoilns pas seulement à les glorifier, mais à veiller à ce que un tel désastre ne se reproduise plus jamais.
To the Mothers of Ulster we say:-
“Mothers of Ulster. Grieve no more for your sons. For your sons now lie in the bosom of a great and noble nation. And your sons are no longer solely the Sons of Ulster, they have become the Sons of France”.
“Mithers o Ulster, Greet nae mair fer yer sins. Aye, fer yer sins noo lee amang a grand an gintil fowk,
An yer sins are nae mair jist the Sins o Ulster, They have becum the Sins o Fraunce forbye”.
To the people of France we say:-
“People of France, mother of nations, we thank you for your generosity and kindness to these our children who rest now in peace in the most beautiful gardens on earth. We pray that their sacrifice will not be in vain and that there will be no more war and that the peoples of Europe will walk together in mutual forgiveness, understanding and respect until the end of the world”.
Au people de France nous disons:-
“Peuple de France, mére des nations, nous vous remercions de votre générosité pour nos enfants qui reposent en paix dans les jardins les plus beaux du monde. Nous prions pour que leur sacrifice n’ait pas été vain, pour qu’il n’y ait plus de guerre, et pour que les peuples d’Europe puissent marcher ensemble et se pardonner, se comprendre et se respecter mutuellement jusqu à la fin des temps”.
Zu den Franzosen sagen wir:-
Bevölkerung von Frankreich, Mutter von Nationen, wir danken Ihnen für Ihre Grosszügigkeit und Freundlichkeit für unsere Kinder, die in diesen schönen Gärten in Frieden ruhen. Wir beten, dass das Opfer unserer Kinder nicht umsonst gewesen ist und dass es zu keinem weiteren Krieg mehr kommen wird, dass die Völker Europas in Vergebung, Verständnis und Respekt miteinander in die Zukunft gehen können.
And in honour of our Secretary of State, I speak in Lakota (Oglala Sioux), the Hymn of the Warriors
Ho Tunkasila Wakan Tanka
Oyate oyasin unsiwicalapo na owicakiyapo
Nahan waci wicasi na waci winyan wopila tanka
Nahan oyate oyasin canku luta ognamani owicakiyapo
Lecel wacin ho hecel lena, oyate kin nipi kte.
Mitakuye Oyasin
Which in Wasicu(English) is
Grandfather Great Spirit, Almighty God,
Have pity on and help all the People
Many Thanks for the Performers, male and female,
Help all the People to walk the Red Road of Peace
This I ask so that the People will prosper
You are all my relatives
The Somme Association would like to thank The Lowland Band,The Royal Regiment of Scotland; The 1st and 2nd Battalions of the The Royal Irish Regiment; Rossen Platoon, 4th Battalion The Royal Welsh, (Clwyd AFC) and Canon Bruce Hawkins, Chaplain of the Royal British Legion Somme Branch.”
Dr Ian Adamson OBE
Chairman Somme Association