It was one of those nights – a night of fun, of good company, of
remembering and of looking forward. And, for those who were there, it was a
night in Belfast’s Europa Hotel that will not be forgotten.
It was an occasion that will be remembered for the political
comedy of Sean Crummy of the BBC’s Folks On The Hill, for the singing and
storytelling of Colum Sands, Eilidh Patterson and Gerry Creen, for the sketch
presented by the award-winning author Dr Marie Jones in the company of Belfast
actor Dan Gordon and for the thoughtful words of Ian McIlhenny.
Different people will remember different things – the singing of
young Lauren Cleare from Birr in County Offaly, the auction in which the ‘peace
pipes’ of David Ervine, Gusty Spence and Gerry Adams sold for £6,500, and for
Gerry Creen’s performance of The Boxer in the company of Colum Sands, the
journalists Mervyn Jess, Ivan Little and Barney Rowan, with our very own Three
Degrees - Dawn Purvis, Monica McWilliams and Jeanette Ervine - on a packed stage
singing along.
It was one of those nights when everyone wanted to join in. The
three hundred plus audience including Stormont MLAs, councillors, commissioners,
the PSNI Chief Constable, representatives of the US Consul General, the city’s
Deputy Lord Mayor, guests from schools and other youth agencies,the churches and
international guests were welcomed by MC Dan Gordon.
He thanked those who provided sponsorship for the Foundation and
assisted it in its work, including Peter Lavery and the Rita Charles Trust,
Denis Rowan and FAS, Tom Moran and Community Foundation Northern Ireland.
The acclaimed actor Ian McIlhenny spoke to the audience on the
work of the Foundation: “Already the Foundation with sponsorship from Denis
Rowan and FAS has taken 23 children to the peace village in Messines Belgium.
“We have some of those young people with us tonight –Lauren from
Birr in County Offaly who sang so beautifully for us earlier, Shannon from
Dundonald and Anthony from the Short Strand.
“Mervyn Jess of the BBC recorded the visit and the learning of
our young people. It was, I suppose, a lesson in shared history.
“They are the future – the future of this place and we need to
look after them – in the words of Gerry’s song this evening nurture that seed
and help it grow.”
Ian said the Foundation would soon engage with professionals
from education and training to identify where help is most needed and how it is
best given.
The evening ended with music and dance in the company of “The
Unusual Suspects”.Jeanette Ervine and the Foundation would like to thank all of
those who gave so generously of their money and their time to make the event
such a success.
“It was an amazing night,” Jeanette said.
It was that and something more – an occasion that also
contributed to peace-building and reconciliation.
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