Island of Ireland Peace Park

Development

For years after the Great War and World War II, the Republic of Ireland did little to honor its war dead. This was largely a consequence of the 1916 Easter Rising, the 1922 partition under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, and the Irish Civil War that followed. Meanwhile, other nations involved in the Great War had built national monuments along the Western Front, which added to the already tense feelings surrounding the conflict in Ireland. This tension was especially noticeable when Northern Ireland’s Ulster Tower in Thiepval, France, became one of the earliest memorials to be erected there.

The Island of Ireland Peace Park at Messines was not built to correct any perceived imbalance. Instead, its purpose is to remember the sacrifices of people from the entire island of Ireland—regardless of their political or religious background—who died in the war. It also stands today as a symbol of reconciliation. Inside the tower, bronze cubicles hold record books listing the known dead, which are public copies of the originals kept at the National War Memorial in Islandbridge, Dublin.

The project was started by Paddy Harte, a member of Dáil Éireann, and Glen Barr, a community activist from Northern Ireland. Together they founded the ‘A Journey of Reconciliation Trust’, a broad, cross-border organization based in Dublin. The trust brought together representatives from Ireland’s main churches, professional politicians, and community leaders from both parts of Ireland, with Harte and Barr leading the effort.

Design

The 110 ft tower follows the traditional design of an Irish round tower. It is partially built with stone from a former British Army barracks in Tipperary, with the remainder coming from a workhouse outside Mullingar, County Westmeath. A unique aspect of the design allows sunlight to illuminate the interior only on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, the anniversary of the armistice and the time for the minute's silence on Remembrance Day. A commemorative ceremony is held yearly in the park on Armistice Day, in conjunction with similar ceremonies at the nearby Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres.

Messines Peace Village

The completion of the Peace Park led to the development and construction of the Messines Peace Village, an international rural hostel equipped for seminars and meetings, suitable for associations, companies, youth and school groups.