Government Pays For 'Somme' Visitors To Collins Trail

The Irish Republic's government is part-funding a four-day visit by a Northern Ireland-based group that commemorates fallen soldiers from Ireland in WWI to Cork's commemorative trail to Irish republican leader, Michael Collins.

The Mid-Ulster branch of Friends of the Somme will travel to Cork to learn about former Irish Republican Army (IRA) leader Michael Collins on a trip that will also include a visit to the Lord Mayor's office in the city, the Collins Military Barracks and an educational tour on the Michael Collins Trail.

Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern made a €1,000 donation towards the visit from the Irish government's Reconciliation Fund.

The Friends of the Somme, which commemorates fallen soldiers from Ireland in World War I, is among 24 cross-border and cross-community groups to share €856,000 from the present round of funding.

The trip comes just weeks after the sacrifice made by soldiers from across Ireland during World War One was again remembered at a special ceremony in the Republic.

Ex-service organisations from both north and south met in Drogheda in early November for the only such annual all-Ireland remembrance event.

Among those attending was a contingent from Co Antrim, headed by members of Whiteabbey Royal British Legion.

Newtownabbey mayor Nigel Hamilton of the DUP laid a wreath watched by Drogheda Borough Council's mayor, who was also at the ceremony.

The event at the war memorial in Mary Street, Drogheda, was attended by hundreds of people and included an inter-denominational religious ceremony and a bugler playing the Last Post.

The cross-border event was initiated several years ago by the former Drogheda mayor and historian Sean Collins. He has regularly visited Whiteabbey Royal British Legion to liaise with officers on increasing levels of co-operation in cross-border initiatives.

Former Royal British Legion Chairman for Northern Ireland, John Dumigan, said: "This important tribute to those who served in 1914-18 for the common good has grown from a small party of representatives from Northern Ireland being invited by Sean Collins to take part in the revival of a long-neglected ceremony to what is now an important annual cross-border event.

"It fosters a better understanding of our shared heritage right across the British isles," he said.

See: Irish Pay Tribute To WWI Soldiers

(BMcC)