Ireland today remembered the Easter Rising, 90 years on. Over 2,000 troops passed through Dublin, commemorating events of 1916 along with Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and President Mary McAleese. Anyone trying to post a letter at the GPO on O'Connell Street would have felt overshadowed.
It was the first Easter Sunday parade in the Irish capital since 1969: the end of the Troubles made it possible to have a party without appearing to support terrorism. Some will question why Ireland - a country more than most cursed by history - should re-awaken memories of past bloodshed. But 1916 is crucial to an understanding of modern Ireland. The British should be mature enough to shrug off any sensitivity. After all, we cope well enough with America's July 4 fireworks.
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