Press Releases
Lord Eames accepts Tipperary International Peace Prize
Accepting the Tipperary International Peace Prize, The Rt Reverend and Right Honourable, the Lord Eames, formerly Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland said:
“I regard the Award of the Tipperary International Peace Prize as a very great honour and I am truly humbled to join the list of those whose lives you have recognised in the past. However, I feel I want to accept this honour in the names of a host of people who over the years have made such personal and often sacrificial contributions to the peace process in Ireland. Not least are the parochial clergy of the Church of Ireland and the clergy of all the denominations on this island, whose faithful ministry down the years kept the vision of peace alive against great odds.
“During my years of service, I have been privileged to work with men and women of courage, vision and dedication of all traditions in the Churches, in the Irish and British governments, in the political parties and in many groupings in their own communities. Much of the work I have seen and experienced will never be told in detail. I believe that is entirely right, for the cause of peace is so much greater than any one individual. However, in the context of this ceremony, I want to pay tribute to three men whose contribution years ago laid much of the foundation to the success Ireland has now seen as we strive to build a just and honourable society at peace. I refer to the former Taoiseach, Albert Reynolds, to the former government adviser, Dr Martin Mansergh and to the former British Prime Minister, John Major. It was my privilege to make a small contribution to their work and for that I am grateful. However, my memories of the past will always centre on the work of a host of people whose courage was undeniable.
“Today, Ireland has the opportunity to be at peace with itself. All the sacrifice, all the dashed hopes, all the bitter memories together with the visionary steps, the healing of wounds, the coming together of people and the dawning of a shared future ideal have brought our island home to what I can only describe as ‘the great Irish possibility’. Surely we have seen events and relationships evolve, which even a few years ago would have seemed impossible. Post-conflict Ireland has glimpsed what is possible given faith, trust and a willingness to reach out from our historic prisons of mind and heart. I believe Northern Ireland and the Republic together can become the envy of the world. We can become a model of the impossible dream turned into reality. But there can be no true basis for an Ireland at peace with itself if society loses sight of the great principles of the faith and the spiritual truths Ireland has for generations claimed to be its inheritance. An Ireland which turns its collective back on those great truths through any self satisfaction in secular or momentary achievement in society will become an Ireland where peace is not built on a true recognition of human values, human sacrifice, and human worth.
“The real peace with honour which now seems within our grasp must never be taken for granted. Many challenges and questions remain for the present generation of Church and political leaders. Under God, let the lessons be remembered. Let the efforts of the past be an encouragement as they too dare to dream the impossible dream of their times – and may the ideal of an Ireland at peace with itself be also a reality of an Ireland where all our traditions can find honour and integrity in their dealings with each other.”
For information and photographs please contact Martin Quinn, (m) 087 610 1628, Email: [email protected]
Original details on the award can be found on www.tipperarypeace.ie