Sir, - I travelled with the choir who sang at last week's memorable ceremony in Messines. These children were taken from choirs and schools from all over Ireland and represented both traditions. They met for the first time in Dublin on Tuesday and rehearsed their music throughout the afternoon.
Wednesday was a very long day for them; they were up from 4.45 a.m., the majority of them having spent a significant part of the previous day travelling. For some of these children it was the first time they had flown, for most of them it was the first time they heard about the tragedy of the first World War. We appreciated their co-operation and their constant good humour. And as we approached Messines, we listened with emotion as without any prompting they started to sing Make me a Channel of your Peace.
These children from diverse backgrounds and traditions shared something unique last week, something they have said they will remember for the rest of their lives. Like all children, they were caught up in the excitement, yet they, like everybody else, experienced a sense of sadness and emotion and knew that they were part of a very historic moment.
Andy Pollak wrote (The Irish Times, November 11th) of the recognition in Germany and France that the future lies in recognising a common stake and that the ceremony in Messines reflected that Gael and Briton are adapting to the same realisation. I was privileged to be with a group of children who demonstrated this realisation in everything that they did and who can but give us confidence in this island's future. - Yours, etc., Bronagh McDonald,
Managing Director, The Recruitment Business, Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2.