Emer Gerrard | Contributing Writer
World War Two may have come to an end some sixty-eight years ago, but the cataclysmic event continues to capture much attention and bear great influence. However, there has always been a somewhat hesitant acknowledgment of the estimated 60,000-100,000 men from the island of Ireland who fought in the Second World War. Of these, more than 3,600 soldiers from the Republic died. For those who did survive, their return home was far from welcoming. Many became known as deserters for leaving the Irish Army and they suffered many discriminations, including being barred from holding jobs paid for by the state and losing their pension rights.
Only last year were these men officially pardoned and apologised to by the Irish state. Many of the men had already passed away, but some did survive to hear their apology. Last week, an RTÉ documentary, Witnesses to War, featured some of these men. The unique documentary provided an intimate account of the men’s experiences in the war, attempting to dispel stereotypes and paint an honest picture of who these Irish soldiers were, what drew them to fight and the horrors they encountered in the war. One of these men, Albert Sutton, explained that upon entering the notorious Bergen Belsen camp at the end of the war, he realised, “if ever we needed reason for joining up, this is it…we had done something to stop it and we felt better about it. We didn’t just join up for the fun. It was very serious. Very serious.”
Last week saw a similar issue being raised within Trinity. News broke that controversy had arisen between the College and a campaign group called ‘Trinity College Dublin War Memorial Project’. The story ran that a solicitor’s letter had been sent from the college to the project, concerning its use of Trinity’s name, which is a registered trademark, and unsolicited correspondence sent to the Provost by campaigners. However, this legal action was later withdrawn.
Mulvany has welcomed the recent action of the Irish government and believes that Trinity has now fallen behind and neglected its duty to acknowledge the 111 Trinity men who died giving “their lives for our today”
The campaign believes that the College have deserted their dead. Peter Mulvany, the leader of the ‘Trinity College Dublin War Memorial Project’ petition, thinks that Trinity have intentionally written these men out of the story. Mulvany has welcomed the recent action of the Irish government and believes that Trinity has now fallen behind and neglected its duty to acknowledge the 111 Trinity men who died giving “their lives for our today”. He is campaigning for an “all inclusive memorial” to be constructed, in a form of “Trinity’s own choosing”. He states that this is a “matter of public interest” hence his involvement. Mulvany was the coordinator of the ‘Irish Soldiers Pardons Campaign’ which concluded last June following the government’s apology.
Mulvany argues that the commemoration of these men is imperative for Trinity’s students of today. When asked if he believes that this is a relevant issue, if the building of a memorial in remembrance of the dead soldiers is of value to current students, Mulvany retorts, “does their experience not have value in the eyes of students?” Mulvany explains that “students are participants in this world and they should be concerned as to world events and its effect on themselves and their college.” Mulvany goes on to state that the students, both past and present, are the most important part of Trinity and therefore we cannot “let sleeping dogs lie”.
However, is this issue still too controversial to be re-awoken? It was highlighted last weekend when Derry born footballer, James McClean, was reportedly sent home from the Wigan team for his refusal to wear the red poppy in condolence with those who died fighting with the British armed forces. However, as the government has done, perhaps it is time to move on. Mulvany maintains that “in dealing with those sleeping dogs, we have to step outside the political box and not be constrained by the historical box”. He believes that confronting the actuality of war is positive for society. “Indeed the existence of so many lost lives clearly demonstrates the consequences when countries fail to reach agreement. Men, women and children ultimately pay the price. Is that not an anti-war message?”
The values which the Allied troops from Ireland fought for are those which our democracy depends upon today
The values which the Allied troops from Ireland fought for are those which our democracy depends upon today. As Mulvany describes, “the tomorrow we now enjoy is universal human rights in a world made safe for democracy by the sacrifices made by others”. This seems like a worthy cause to honour. Can we really allow those Irishmen who preserved our rights, “to become sleeping dogs within the annals of history?” As Mulvany argues, without “the sacrifices made by Trinity men and women along with their comrades, jackboots could be walking the streets of this city”.
So, is the Provost in disagreement with the group? Mulvany believes that this is not the case and that in reality the two are “singing off the same hymn sheet on the issue”. Mulvany says that the controversy fails to bother him, “threats of legal action are like water off a duck’s back”. His only complaint is that it was his daughter-in-law who first received complaints and that that was “unacceptable”. He admits that he might not have always acted in the best manner, reasoning: “old age pensioners, we do have our faults”. However, it seems he was right with regard to the Provost. In a letter he received last Friday 15 November, Mr. Prendergast stated that “we are not afraid of exploring the College’s history head-on” and went on to recognise “111 Trinity alumni died in the conflict, and their experiences-as well as those who served with them-have been long over-looked. We… will give the matter outlined in your petition due consideration”.
These words seem very positive for the campaign and it seems that all these years later, the 111 dead alumni will be remembered.
