Speech of FF Leader, Micheál Martin TD at West Cork History Festival
(WorldNews Europe)

When we mark significant anniversaries there can be a tendency to strain the facts to find relevance to the politics of today. In Ireland we are particularly bad at often failing to see the contemporary context of words and events - using history as a means of confirming narratives rather than to challenge them. However there are anniversaries which actually have a much greater relevance to today than we appreciate - and by any measure the centenary of 1918 and the events which it saw being set in motion is one of these moments. One hundred years ago marked a pivotal moment in national and international history which continues to have social, economic and political implications. In fact,...