Good Friday 33 A.D. On that first Good Friday almost two thousand years ago the Son of God, Jesus Christ, girt only with His great love for all of His creatures – He who while on earth made the halt to walk, the deaf to hear, the dumb to speak and the blind to see; He who resurrected the dead Lazarus, forgave and consoled the sinner – He submitted Himself to being Stripped and scourged then nailed On two crossed planks, mocked and crucified! Thus did He conquer evil for mankind And thereby earned the right to redemption For all - even for those who crucified Him! Good Friday 1014 A.D. On another Good Friday near on a thousand years on, King Brian Boru - who always fought the good fight, and who was styled the Irish Charlemagne - led the army of Ireland against the destroyers, and conquered for Ireland. And in the final hour of victory, He also paid the price with his life! It so happens that I am sprung of the stock That followed the valiant Brian on the Obscure rugged pathways over mountain terrain, Midland bogland and the eastern plain, That led from Clare to Clontarf. It proved to be a long long perilous Way from Clare to there in 1014! O’Briens, Mac Mahons, O’Hickeys, O’Hallorans, Mac Namaras And O’Goonans – these were some of my forebears – Who, girt with swords, clubs and battleaxes, Scians and shields, engaged in many a Bloody Dal gCais foray before that day Of battle which, like the first Good Friday, Brought Good News and bad news … … bad news with the Good News. Good Friday 1993 Almost another one thousand years have passed And soon again it will be Good Friday. Now, neither the Son of God made man, Nor any mortal being, need forfeit life So that we may inherit Heaven Or in the meantime enjoy the privilege Of living in our homeland! Bearing in mind the happenings of history – The noble purpose and supreme self-sacrifice Made on our behalf by Jesus Christ, And also by mere mortal men – Should not we, all of the people who Live to-day on this island, endeavour To do right by everybody else here … … for Christ’s sake? Yes, of course! And also even Brian’s sake and especially for all Those who have suffered death in so Many vile forms – for those who are Maimed and scarred and who have Suffered in any way in the conflict In this so-troubled land today! We must consider also the bitter legacy That has been bequeathed to those as yet unborn. Good Friday – this is a great day To commence again on the rugged pathway To Peace and Unity – to talk Peace And to make Peace! Fair fight has always been the bonny fight! But indiscriminate slaughtering of innocents On all sides is a shameful, indefensible Abomination in any society! So to the blindly violent few who man The death squads on both sides of this Too long protracted bloody conflict I have this much to say: Pack in the deadly Browning and K47M Automatic, The sawn-off, the Uzi and Kaloshinoff; The inhumanely destructive grenade and the Devastating Mark XV rocket mortarbomb – Discard as well the sinister, degrading balaclava – And open your eyes to a new Easter dawning! Pack in all that has turned A beautiful part Of our beautiful country Into a vast bloodied slaughter-yard, The while acostly, blighting northerly wind Has been blowing over the whole country. The people of this land cry out to you To put an end to the slaughter! Take fully to heart the message of Redemption Offered to us by Him whose bloody Death we commemorate on this day! To all men and women of state Who have been elected to represent All of the population of this island I say the following: The Irish of today are a race of people Of mixed ethnic origins, most predominantly Of Celtic settler stock who overcame and Subsumed the previous older races, With subsequent leavenings of Danish, Norman and English settlers and Numerous others too, all combined to Give us and make us what we Have and what we are today. This country has truly had a sadly Turbulent but also a very proud history. The people of this small country Have helped significantly in Building and developing many of Today’s great nations around the world, Where the Irish diaspora is estimated At sixty million people and have in The process enriched the cultures; helped Develop the religions, coloured and enhanced The social outlook of their adopted countries! At home the Irish people have endured Many vicissitudes – successive wars, Pestilence, persecutions and massive emigrations – But withal, we are a proven race of survivors! As late as in the mid-half of the past Century all of our people endured together And shared the misery of famine and fever On a massive scale as the country was Blight-ravaged from Cushendal to Caherciveen And from Lough Swilly to Carnsore. Mass-grave burials became the norm of The times as over one million of our Population died of hunger and fever. Another million escaped in a massive Exodus from the homeland and some Of their descendants abroad have been To this day distinguishing themselves As religious, civic and national leaders. The horrible situation and plight of Those remaining during the famine years Was termed The Great Hunger. Today, there is another great Hunger abroad in our land! This time however the Irish people, Of whatever origin, are Hungering for Peace! To you who are charged with responsibility For the well-being of all of our people – Let it be your avowed aim, from the Coming Good Friday onwards to strive Mightily to achieve the blessing of Peace And Unity of hearts and mind for all. It is clearly your duty to talk together – Talk and discuss wholeheartedly – listen And listen again carefully! React fairly and honestly and above all Act justly, for if justice reigns in all Of your hearts, you cannot fail! Forget about pre-conditions, rhetorical High-jinks, vacuous statements, fancy footwork! Eschew the quasi stance and political posture! Let you all take heart and have courage! Be trustful rather than thrustful And if you want to find solutions eagerly Enough – those solutions will emerge that Will surely earn the fervent gratitude Of the people and the favour of The Lord! The people shall judge you all and They will not be fooled! The stakes are high – Peace and Unity the prize! Success would raise the hearts of the people For there is so much to be done and won And that cannot be done nor won without Everybody’s best efforts. Failure to face fully up to your responsibilities Cannot be pleasing to God nor man! The Irish race have proved that they can Perform noble deeds when away from their Homeland. Let the Irish people at home Prove that we have the vision and heart And generosity of spirit to overcome our Great difficulties and raise ourselves above The division that besets the people of this Land that we all love so well! I believe in the real, true worth of the Irish people. I believe with firm conviction that this land And all of its people can achieve a bright And peaceful future together if our leaders Provide the leadership necessary for success! So then, let us all commence on Next Good Friday to feed the peoples’ hunger! Let it be a good Friday in more than Name only! We can all help, even if only in our speech And attitudes to make it a day that we Can always remember with pride – the day When we commence to regain our self-respect! Let us all have the Good News this time Without any of the bad news! From Good Friday 1993 A.D. onwards Just let us all – and I mean all – GIVE PEACE A LASH!
24.2.1993