Peace and the Middle Ground

Day 1,651, 00:30 • Published in Ireland Ireland • by Michael Holcomb

In the last day we have seen arguments over the setting in of our new peace agreement with the UK. I know the idea of giving up Dublin and Louth hurts, I understand. But for now, we need to make a peace that makes neither side happy.

We have found the middle ground.

It tugs at my heart to hand off these territories to the UK, but this war has gone on long enough. If this balance means that we can halt constantly fighting our neighbor, then we will have to live with it. Status quo ante bellum was not desirable for either party.

We have made the hard choice here today, I have lived in Louth almost continuously since having become a citizen of Ireland. But the time has come for peace. And for those who oppose it, that is fine. But this is not a time of a civil war. This peace is tenuous at best, we must hold onto it while we can. Because even those who like this peace must know, that peace, while a noble pursuit, does not last forever. It therefore remains for us to do what we can to prepare for the future. Because this peace can only last so long, before the next inevitable round of violence returns.