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TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN sported a ‘shamrock poppy’ lapel pin at the British-Irish Council summit in Blackpool today – marking Remembrance Day, which takes place on 11 November every year.
It is understood the two minutes silence for Armistice Day was marked by the leaders, including the Taoiseach, in the meeting at 11am this morning.
Micheál Martin is in Blackpool for the British-Irish Council summit, where today he met with Minister for Intergovernmental Relations Michael Gove and First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon.
Last night, the Taoiseach met with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Speaking to reporters, he said he does not believe that wearing a poppy is as “controversial as some people suggest”.
“I think people understand the need to remember those that lost their lives in war in the past and we in Ireland particularly, coming out of the Good Friday Agreement, I think we entered into a new mature reflection on all of these issues.
“Many Irish died in both of the major wars. I think it is appropriate particularly at the British-Irish Council summit, which reflects the spirit of the Good Friday Agreement, which is an institution of the Good Friday Agreement, that we would pay due honour to those that lost their lives in WWI and WWII and other conflicts.
“I have no difficulty in that at all. I think the vast, vast majority of Irish people are of one mind on that,” he said.
Today marks the anniversary of the day World War One ended, on 11 November in 1918.
Poppies are worn to commemorate the dead of the war as they are the flowers that grew on the Western Front battlefields of France and Belgium in the wake of the fighting.
In terms of symbolism, the occasion is sometimes a complicated one for members of Irish political parties which have their roots in the time of the 1916 Rising and the War of Independence.
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar wore a poppy in the Dáil in 2017 when he was Taoiseach, with the news reported around the world by news outlets such as BBC at the time.
About 210,000 Irish men and women served in the British forces during World War One, and around 35,000 died. Home Rule leader John Redmond backed the involvement of Irish soldiers, arguing that it was necessary to support “the freedom of small nations”.
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Had it remained a symbol of the World Wars then I don’t believe it would be as controversial.
But, it commemorates ALL British soldiers, in all conflicts including NI, Iraq, Afghanistan etc. Not to mention its gone the way of the US Flag pin. If you’re not seen to be wearing one, you’re somehow “less loyal”. It’s been co-opted by nationalism as a method to mark out those as “different” and not “the right kind of person”.
There is a whiff of Fascism off how people in the public eye are forced to mark their allegiance.
@Tricia G ☘️: you do realise that the poppy is originally America. Its worn by many countries on Armistice day not just the British.
@Tricia G ☘️:
Says yer wan with the Shamrock emoji.
@Patrick Robinson: Poppies have long been used as a symbol of sleep, peace, and death: Sleep because the opium extracted from them is a sedative, and death because of the common blood-red colour of the red poppy in particular. In Greek and Roman myths, poppies were used as offerings to the dead. It is known as flower of death by the Egyptian they put the poppy in with the dead.
@Patrick Robinson: and the money raised this side of the atlantic goes towards retired and serving British military personnel. No thanks!
@Tricia G ☘️: incorrect it commemorates all who died serving in the British forces, I hope you know that a lot of Irish folk signed up to serve in the British forces as there was no Irish army fighting in the war.
@Tricia G ☘️: This is what Martin is reduced to, stunts.
@Tricia G ☘️: Yes it has been Hijacked,but it is in comemoration of the fallen on all sides in WW1. Humans ffs,they cant even leave a flower alone.
@Jason Walsh: All sides,Jason,all sides who lost lives,not just the British.
@Jim O’Sullivan: He is out of his office in a few weeks. He is weak on all fronts and in every aspect but wants to appear strong. Hence the grandiosity and stunts.
@Tricia G ☘️: I don’t know that I agree with that depiction. It’s worn in Canada too to commemorate Canadians and Indigenous Peoples who served.
@Darren Lynch: All funds raised in Ireland remain in Ireland.
@Dave Goodman: genuine question. I know its collected by the British legion. Does it go to serving members of the irish army or those that fight/fought for Britain?
@Darren Lynch: from their website: The Royal British Legion is working hard to support the most vulnerable in our society, be it older veterans that we care for, those who suffer from social isolation, or those who are simply overwhelmed by the challenges associated with the cost-of-living crisis.
Why not a Lily at Easter for those who died for Irish freedom?
@Rob: That would require him to have some admirable principles instead of repulsive ones Rob!
@Rob: no doubt because SF wear them
@Rob: do you recommend the pinnies or the stickies?
Why shamrock and not the lily? Given that the lily is to remember our Patriot Dead and not the poppy. Be proud to remember our dead.
@Declan Carr: an auld shoneens what that fop is……
“The Republican Party” lol
The word Quisling springs to mind
He didn’t wear it in my name that’s for sure !!!!
Not surprised, a Sheónín and a Gombín would do this no problem. Although I’d be more disgusted if he wore our Easter Lily, it commemorates the best of Ireland, our martyrs, and he as an anti Irish Gombín, would sully it.
Quisling!
That’s not surprising.
The Journal is now censoring even fairly mild criticism of MM.
@Des Hanrahan: the journal is a joke, 50% of stories posted, comments closed.
The British Legion sells the poppy to remember the glorious fallen. Micheal should remember who executed the 1916 leaders….
Lot of good Irishmen and woman went off under the guide that it would bring Ireland closer to a United Ireland…mehole ón the other hand can xxxx xxx.
@Michael Nolan: lots of irish picked off the streets and dropped in France
Can’t recall him wearing a Fuchsia.
Just when you thought he couldn’t get any worse!
An embarrassing representation of people
Mehole the lickarse
Lest we forget.
@Yo Dude: we don’t. Through Bloody Sunday Dublin 21 Nov 1920 through Ballymurphy and Bloody Sunday Derry 30th Jan 1972 to the signing of GFA. British forces have left very little on this island which commands any respect.
@Yo Dude: Ya never forget 800+ years of murder,rape, destruction, genocide and slavery and that’s just what they done in Ireland,will we remember what they done in India,never forget.
@Daniel Roche: Who is ‘they’ in your head? Any possible perpetrator of war crimes in Ireland pre 1922 is long and dead. It’s that thinking that makes some rare breed of people think that it’s okay to bomb street full of ‘them’ in Manchester. Granted, you are probably a 15 year old but you should have grown out of this phase by now.
@Jim Smith: What are you on about,time to put the pint down.
@Yo Dude: to pay all of taxes to the queen
@Jim Smith: you make it sound as though they have changed? All in the past, there not like that now.
Wilful killing
Torture
Inhuman/cruel treatment
Outrages upon personal dignity
Rape and/or other forms of sexual violence
(Source : UK war crimes in Iraq: The ICC Prosecutor’s report)
By the UK Armed forces in Iraq only a couple of years ago in an War based on a complete fabricated lie.
Clown
Cowering to his British overlords grow a set of balls and be a proud Irish Republican
Do you really care? Really? Your life must be exceptionally dull.
Seems a bit sycophantic.
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