John Cushnahan: My message to those who distorted nature of centenary service: Shame on you!

A letter from ex-Alliance leader John Cushnahan:
The Dean of Armagh, Shane Forster speaking a service to mark the centenary of Northern Ireland at St Patrick's Cathedral in Armagh. Picture date: Thursday October 21, 2021.The Dean of Armagh, Shane Forster speaking a service to mark the centenary of Northern Ireland at St Patrick's Cathedral in Armagh. Picture date: Thursday October 21, 2021.
The Dean of Armagh, Shane Forster speaking a service to mark the centenary of Northern Ireland at St Patrick's Cathedral in Armagh. Picture date: Thursday October 21, 2021.

The people of Ireland are indebted to the leaders of the four main churches in Ireland for organising the successful and moving ecumenical service held at St Patrick’s Church of Ireland Cathedral in Armagh on October 21.

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As clearly set out in their invitation, it was intended to be a service of reflection dealing with past hurts, and failures and to promote reconciliation and hope.

Letter to the editorLetter to the editor
Letter to the editor

This is precisely what it did.

It was not what its many critics claimed when they falsely alleged that it would be a “celebration of partition”.

Shame on them.

It was clear that most of these including elected politicians had not read the invitation or chose to deliberately misrepresent its contents and intentions.

Those that did should now return to the same media outlets which they used to make their false and misleading statements, and apologise to the leaders of the four main churches and others involved in organising this wonderful and heart-warming event.

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John Cushnahan, former leader of Alliance Party and former Fine Gael MEP, Co Limerick

• Other reaction to the service below and beneath that information on how to subscribe to the News Letter

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