One hundred people were asked to contribute to a book on the Border by Paddy Logue of the Programme for Peace and Reconciliation. Many refused, and others ignored the invitation, but 50 responded and The Border; Personal Reflections from Ireland North and South was launched by the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, in Dublin on Wednesday. Those giving their thoughts on "what is the Border and what does it mean to you?" include Gerry Adams (a deep scar across our island); the UUP's Edward Birnie (Most people in the Republic have decided the Border is also in their best interests); Bishop Pat Buckley (it is artificial and offensive); the DUP's Gregory Campbell (two separate countries); Lord Gifford QC, (a wound which will not heal easily) and Dennis Kennedy (borders are European and normal)
Contributors also include Bernadette McAliskey ("Partition affected my life. The Border was irrelevant to it."), Judge Catherine McGuinness, whose father was a Church of Ireland rector in Dunmurry, Martin Mansergh ("In regard to peace, at least, Ireland is indivisible"), Ardal O'Hanlon (it gave us all those country and Irish superstars), Sir George Quigley, (there are prizes to be won from an economic vision encompassing the whole island), Ruairi Quinn, whose father came from Newry and mother from Dundalk, (there are other borders here) and the BBC's Nick Ross, a Queen's graduate, ("It is not partition that divides the people of Ireland. It is prejudice").
All singer Christy Moore could think to say was "F*** the Border". He has written a 19-word song on the theme and asks readers to "sing along".
Launching the book, the Taoiseach said the Border wasn't a natural frontier and had many bizarre twists and turns. He quoted contributor Tommy McKearney, a former inmate of the H-blocks, on how his great uncles used to organise cock-fights so they could escape quickly, regardless of which force sought them. "There are strange ways to learn the idiosyncrasies of international borders, but fleeing breathlessly from the Gardai with a rooster under your arm while looking desperately for sight of a red post-box has got to be one of the oddest."