A Further Shore A Journey to Good Friday, 1998 Aistear chuig Aoine an Chéasta, 1998 05.04.18 09.04.18 London | Londain Belfast | Béal Feirste A Further Shore A Journey to Good Friday, 1998 Aistear chuig Aoine an Chéasta, 1998 05.04.18 Milton Court Concert Hall, Barbican Centre, London | Londain 09.04.18 Poetry Ireland Lyric Theatre, Belfast | Béal Feirste Éigse Éireann Foreword Réamhrá Twenty years ago, the signing of the Good Fiche bliain ó shin, le síniú Chomhaontú No event marking the 20th anniversary of the Ní fhéadfaí aon ócáid a chur ar bun lena Friday / Belfast Agreement marked a new Aoine an Chéasta / Bhéal Feirste, cuireadh Good Friday Agreement would be complete chomóradh go bhfuil 20 bliain imithe beginning in the story of these islands. This tús nua le scéal na n-oileán seo. Anocht, trí without acknowledging and thanking the tharainn ó síníodh Comhaontú Aoine an evening, through poetry, music, image, and mheán na filíochta, an cheoil, an fhocail countless people – politicians, community Chéasta gan aitheantas a thabhairt don iomaí spoken word, we will trace a journey through labhartha agus íomhánna, déanfaimid rianú leaders, peacemakers, ordinary women and duine – polaiteoirí, ceannairí pobail, lucht na the tragic years of the Troubles towards the ar an aistear trí bhlianta tragóideacha na men – who individually and together showed síochánaíochta, fir agus mná an phobail – a great moment of hope and reconciliation dTrioblóidí i dtreo an dóchais agus an athm- great courage and took great risks to achieve léirigh misneach ollmhór, astu féin agus le which the Good Friday Agreement represents. huintearais mhóir a tháinig le Comhaontú peace. Their endeavours are echoed today chéile, agus a chuaigh sa bhearna bhaoil chun Aoine an Chéasta. by all those who still strive to fulfil the an tsíocháin a bhaint amach. Gabhaimid ár Some of the island of Ireland’s finest artists promise of the Agreement and to further mbuíochas leo. Tá macalla a gcuid iarrachtaí and performers will explore the complex Beidh dream de na healaíontóirí is na reconciliation. le sonrú inniu ina measc siúd go léir atá fós history of the years leading to 10th April 1998, taibheoirí is fearr ar oileán na hÉireann ar a míle dícheall ag iarraidh seasamh leis an remembering moments of terrible loss and ag déanamh iniúchadh ar stair chasta na In the words of the Agreement: gComhaontú agus cás an athmhuintearais a tragedy, as well as of hope and joy. mblianta a tháinig roimh an 10 Aibreán 1998, chur chun cinn. agus iad ag cuimhneamh siar ar na básanna “The tragedies of the past have left a A new truth was established in April agus na tragóidí uafásacha a tharla, agus ar deep and profoundly regrettable legacy Mar a dúradh sa Chomhaontú: and May 1998. Together, the peoples and thráthanna an dóchais agus an áthais. of suffering. We must never forget those Governments of Ireland and of the United who have died or been injured and their “D’fhág na tragóidí san am a caitheadh Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Tháinig fírinne úrnua i réim i mí Aibreáin families. But we can best honour them iarmhairt dhomhain fulaingthe ar ábhar Ireland proved that agreement - unlikely, agus mí na Bealtaine 1998. Ag obair as lámha a through a fresh start, in which we firmly mór aiféala í. Ní mór dúinn gan dearmad improbable agreement - was possible. A chéile dóibh, chruthaigh pobail agus Rialtais dedicate ourselves to the achievement of a dhéanamh choíche ar na daoine a fuair “Further Shore” could indeed be reached. na hÉireann agus Ríocht Aontaithe na reconciliation, tolerance, and mutual trust, bás nó a gortaíodh, ná ar a dteaghlaigh. Breataine Móire agus Thuaisceart Éireann and to the protection and vindication of Ach is é an t-ómós is fearr is féidir linn a In twenty years we have travelled a long go bhféadfaí comhaontú a bhaint amach – in the human rights of all.” thabhairt dóibh ná tosach nua a dhéanamh way on that sometimes fraught and fragile ainneoin gur ceapadh nach raibh sé indéanta a [Declaration of Support, ina dtiomnaímid muid féin go daingean path of peace and reconciliation – even if leithéid a dhéanamh. Ina dhiaidh sin agus uile, Good Friday / Belfast Agreement, 1998] d’athmhuintearas, do chaoinfhulaingt the journey is incomplete. Our guiding star bhíomar ag teannadh leis an gCeann Scríbe. agus do chomhiontaoibh a bhaint amach remains the Good Friday Agreement. It is Our thanks to all who have contributed to agus do chearta daonna gach éinne a cho- the cornerstone of the peace process and the Tá fiche bliain imithe tharainn anois agus this event. saint agus a shuíomh.” fundamental framework for relationships táimid tagtha go mór chun cinn ar bhóthar sin [Dearbhú Tacaíochta, Comhaontú Aoine across these islands. na síochána agus an athmhuintearais, bóthar an Chéasta / Bhéal Feirste, 1998] a bhí corrach, suaiteach uaireanta – fiú mura bhfuil an t-aistear sin curtha i gcrích go fóill. Gabhaimid buíochas le gach duine a chuir le Is é Comhaontú Aoine an Chéasta atá fós ina hócáid an lae inniu. threoir dhaingean againn. Is é bunchloch an phróisis síochána é, agus is é atá ina chreat bunúsach le haghaidh an chaidrimh ar fud na n-oileán seo. Preamble to the Good Friday Agreement An Brollach a gabhann le Comhaontú Aoine an Chéasta 10.04.98 declaration of support dearbhú tacaíochta 5. We acknowledge the substantial 5. Aithnímid na difríochtaí substaintiúla atá differences between our continuing, idir ár dtoilmhianta polaitiúla leanúnacha 1. We, the participants in the multi-party 1. Creidimidne, na rannpháirtithe sna and equally legitimate, political agus comhdhlisteanacha. Déanfaimid negotiations, believe that the agreement caibidlí ilpháirtí, go dtugann an aspirations. However, we will endeavour ár ndícheall ar gach slí praiticiúil, we have negotiated offers a truly historic comhaontú atá caibidlithe againn deis to strive in every practical way towards áfach, chun athmhuintearas agus opportunity for a new beginning. fhíorstairiúil chun tús nua a dhéanamh. reconciliation and rapprochement athchaidreamh a bhaint amach laistigh within the framework of democratic and den chreat socruithe daonlathacha 2. The tragedies of the past have left a 2. D’fhág na tragóidí san am a caitheadh agreed arrangements. We pledge that agus comhaontaithe. Geallaimid go deep and profoundly regrettable legacy iarmhairt dhomhain fulaingthe ar ábhar we will, in good faith, work to ensure n-oibreoimid, de mheon macánta, chun of suffering. We must never forget those mór aiféala í. Ní mór dúinn gan dearmad the success of each and every one of the a áirithiú go n-éireoidh le gach uile who have died or been injured, and their a dhéanamh choíche ar na daoine a fuair arrangements to be established under cheann de na socruithe a bhunófar faoin families. But we can best honour them bás nó a gortaíodh, ná ar a dteaghlaigh. this agreement. It is accepted that all gcomhaontú seo. Glactar leis maidir through a fresh start, in which we firmly Ach is é an t-ómós is fearr is féidir linn a of the institutional and constitutional leis na socruithe institiúideacha agus dedicate ourselves to the achievement of thabhairt dóibh ná tosach nua a dhéanamh arrangements – an Assembly in Northern bunreachtúla go léir—Tionól i dTuaisceart reconciliation, tolerance, and mutual trust, ina dtiomnaímid muid féin go daingean Ireland, a North/South Ministerial Éireann, Comhairle Aireachta Thuaidh/ and to the protection and vindication of d’athmhuintearas, do chaoinfhulaingt Council, implementation bodies, a Theas, comhlachtaí forfheidhmithe, the human rights of all. agus do chomhiontaoibh a bhaint amach British-Irish Council and a British-Irish Comhairle na Breataine-na hÉireann agus agus do chearta daonna gach éinne a Intergovernmental Conference and any Comhdháil Idir-Rialtasach na Breataine- 3. We are committed to partnership, chosaint agus a shuíomh. amendments to British Acts of Parliament na hÉireann agus aon leasuithe ar equality and mutual respect as the basis and the Constitution of Ireland – are Achtanna Parlaiminte na Breataine agus of relationships within Northern Ireland, 3. Táimid tiomanta don chomhpháirtíocht, interlocking and interdependent and ar Bhunreacht na hÉireann—go bhfuil between North and South, and between don chomhionannas agus don that in particular the functioning of the siad cónasctha agus idirspleách agus go these islands. chomhurraim mar bhonn leis na caidrimh Assembly and the North/South Council háirithe go bhfuil gaol chomh dlúth sin laistigh de Thuaisceart Éireann, idir an are so closely inter-related that the success idir feidhmiú an Tionóil agus feidhmiú na 4. We reaffirm our total and absolute Tuaisceart agus an Deisceart, agus idir na of each depends on that of the other. Comhairle Thuaidh/Theas go bhfuil rath commitment to exclusively democratic and hoileáin seo. ceann acu ag brath ar rath an chinn eile. peaceful means of resolving differences 6. Accordingly, in a spirit of concord, we on political issues, and our opposition to 4. Athdheimhnímid go bhfuilimid tiomanta strongly commend this agreement to 6. Dá réir sin, le meon an chomhcharadra, any use or threat of force by others for any go huile agus go hiomlán do mhodhanna the people, North and South, for their molaimid go láidir an comhaontú seo political purpose, whether in regard to daonlathacha, síochánta amháin chun approval. do na daoine, Thuaidh agus Theas, lena this agreement or otherwise. easaontais ar shaincheisteanna polaitiúla dtoiliú a fháil air. a shocrú, agus go bhfuilimid i gcoinne daoine eile d’úsáid foréigin nó do