The news that the fifth St Patrick's Day parade in Brussels will be led this year by Michael Feeney, founder of the Mayo Peace Park, is a great boost for the Irish in Europe and in line with the view of the EC president Manuel Barroso that the current Irish EU presidency will be a “presidency of peace”.
Feeney – who has also been named Mayo Person of the Year for 2013 in recognition of his support for emigrants and the development of sport in the county, especially soccer – founded the Mayo Peace Park and Garden of Remembrance to record those from the county who lost their lives in two world wars and other conflicts, as well as UN peacekeeping missions. It was officially opened by former President Mary McAleese in October 2008.
As Ireland and the world celebrate St Patrick's Day almost half-way through the Irish presidency of the EU, it is a useful time for Ireland to focus on its role and potential influence in Europe and beyond. Although Ireland sometimes modestly portrays itself as a small country on the fringes of the EU, it has so much to shout about.
It was in Dublin City Hall in January at the launch of the European Year of Citizens that EC vice president Vivienne Redding spelled out that even small EU countries such as her own Luxembourg, with its population of about half a million, can be a force in the EU.
Ireland has played a key and influential role in the European Commission over the years. The present secretary general Catherine Day is from Ireland, and during my time as an MEP the likes of Peter Sutherland, Ray MacSharry and Padraig Flynn all made their mark as Irish commissioners.
Irish President Michael D Higgins and his predecessors have been an influence on the EU, too, especially in the areas of peace and developing countries, and long before I heard him speak at a meeting of Socialist Group MEPs in Dublin I met him at a book launch hosted by Irish development NGO Trócaire. I met President Mary Robinson as well, when I was a member of the board of the North /South Centre of the Council of Europe and she received an award at a ceremony in Lisbon for her services to the developing world.
During a previous Irish presidency of the EU I had the privilege to meet Joan Burton, who was an influential Minister for Overseas Development and Human Rights when she played a key role through the Joint EU/ACP Parliamentary Assembly that links the countries of the EU with those of Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific.
I also recall when I was a UN observer during the 1994 elections in which Nelson Mandela was elected president of South Africa. I was based with a team of Irish police officers near Durban and observed first-hand their professional skills and good humour in preventing violence and maintaining peace.
Somewhat closer to home, at a previous St Patrick's Day Parade in Brussels, EC President Barroso was spotted with Bob Geldof in the famous Kitty O’Shea’s. Situated in the heart of the EU district, the pub had been a special meeting place for the Irish in Brussels and EU officials, where there was always a warm welcome from its respected Irish manager Philip McGovern, and its recent closure has been a great loss.
If the EU is to build on its reputation as a resource for peace and become more of a citizens’ Europe, it would be helpful to develop more of the likes of Kitty O’Shea’s and more peace parks where EU citizens can relax and reflect on the future of Europe.
Michael McGowan is a former MEP and president of the development committee of the European Parliament.
