Hilary Beirne – “Dear Minister Martin and Minister Brophy
We are writing to express our disappointment that the Irish State has not held an official centennial event honouring the role of Irish emigrants in the creation of the Free State as part of the Decade of Centenaries programme. We find this omission lamentable given the enormous contribution of Irish emigrants during the critical years of 1916 to 1922 – and ironic given that Easter Proclamation makes an explicit reference to being “supported by her exiled children in America.” We recognize that much has been done to commemorate the Decade of Centenaries and you are to be commended for your many efforts, but the omission of the role of emigrants is striking. Emigrants would like to be written back into Irish history …”