Tributes paid as D’Arcy McGee International Forum in Carlingford comes to close

As this year's D'Arcy McGee International Forum comes to a close in Carlingford, Sinn Féin Cllr Ruairí Ó Murchú, has paid tribute to the organisers of this year's event.

Cllr Ó Murchú said on the Sinn Féin today, “it is a great event with a myriad of political opinions, backgrounds and identities all brought together under the roof of the Holy Trinity Heritage Centre.

"The idea of the forum is to ‘bring together interested parties from across Canada and Ireland, to discuss and debate, to explore new ideas, and to question old ones.’ This is much needed.”

He continued,  “This year’s theme was ‘Canada and Ireland – exploring new beginnings in uncertain times’ and with the chaos of Brexit looming, I feel this is very apt.”

Thomas D’Arcy McGee born in Carlingford in 1825 . He was a revolutionary Irish nationalist who later became a Canadian parliamentarian and was assassinated in 1868.

This year's forum was opened by Kevin Vickers, the Canadian ambassador. The James M. Flaherty lecture was given by the Canadian novelist and poet, Jane Urquhart, who spoke about her Irish roots and the issue of her Quinn antecedents converting to Protestantism.

Tributes were also paid by Cllr Ó Murchú to General John de Chastelain, recipient of this year'sThomas D’Arcy McGee Award.

“General de Chastelain was Chairperson of the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning", said Cllr Ó Murchú, "and had the unenviable job of overseeing the weapons issue as part of the Irish Peace Process.

"He is very deserving of this award and I wish him all the best going forward."