President Catherine Connolly has used her first St Patrick’s Day message to caution against what she described as the “normalisation of war” ahead of Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s meeting with US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office, reports RTE.
Writing in Irish, she said Ireland’s record of maintaining peace has remained unbroken since 1958, reports RTE.
“Seasann ár dtaifead sÃochánaÃochta, nár briseadh ó 1958 i leith,” President Connolly said.
A week ago, President Connolly criticised what she called “deliberate assaults on international law” in the Middle East and said the UN charter “cannot be ignored”, reports RTE.
While she did not explicitly name the US or Israel, the comments were widely interpreted as criticism of the Government after ministers stopped short of saying that the bombing campaign on Iran violated international law.
“The normalisation of war can never be accepted. Now, more than ever, we must renew our commitment to peace and diplomacy in line with the principles of international law as set out in the United Nations charter,” said the President, reports RTE.
She emphasised that Ireland’s status as a neutral nation and a post-colonial society allows it to offer “a valuable perspective on the challenges facing our world”.
“We understand that peace is not merely the absence of war but also the presence of justice,” said President Connolly, reports RTE.
In her message, President Connolly also said the story of St Patrick represents the “resilience and courage” shown by migrants.
President Connolly said the young man had been trafficked across the Irish Sea from Britain during the fifth century, reports RTE.
She said he later returned to Ireland as a missionary, “giving voice and his life to fostering an awareness of the consequences of slavery”.
“The story of Patrick’s life serves as a reminder of the resilience and courage of migrants, the invaluable contributions that they have made, and continue to make, to the countries they now call home, sometimes even in the face of great adversity,” she said, reports RTE.
President Connolly said: “Patrick’s story speaks not only to the Ireland of the fifth century, but to the millions still subjected to trafficking, forced labour and displacement today.
“As we recall the life of Patrick, we invoke his spirit and acknowledge our shared responsibilities as global citizens.
“We stand in solidarity with those who find themselves in vulnerable and dangerous circumstances.
“Patrick’s story invites us to respond with hospitality and kindness to those suffering the consequences of war and displacement, those fleeing their countries because of persecution or violence”, reports RTE.
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