Schoolchildren’s Proclamation for a new, equal, peaceful Ireland

In advance of a countrywide project inviting school students to write a new Proclamation for today’s Ireland, The Irish Times invited two students to compose their own. This is their combined document.

We, the people of Ireland, proclaim a peaceful republic. We pledge our lives to the welfare of our society, and Ireland’s exaltation among the nations.

The Second Irish Republic is entitled to, and hereby claims, the allegiance of every Irishman and woman, and commits itself to equality, liberty, transparency and a living wage.

We proclaim our right to Ireland’s land and water – its lakes and rivers, and its entire shoreline. We refuse to privatise such amenities. We pledge to protect our country from pollution, and to fight climate change.

To win something through violence is to lose our humanity. We therefore pledge to remain peaceful, no matter the trials we face, and to provide aid to other countries in need. A national referendum on both sides of the Border, regarding unification with our brothers and sisters in the North, is to be held.

We also hereby proclaim a new, kind society, irrespective of gender, race or ancestry. The Republic guarantees justice, and civil, cultural and religious liberty to all regardless of their means, provided their actions do not harm others or incite hatred.

We endeavour to ensure that no one in our society is isolated, alienated or excluded. We hereby proclaim to provide proficient solutions and facilities for social issues such as homelessness, violence and substance abuse.

The Irish Republic vows to provide for and stand equally for each citizen of Ireland. We pledge to drastically improve public services, to encourage the return of her children overseas and to revise taxation of citizens and corporations to reduce the gap between rich and poor. Our path will not be waylaid by greed or deceit.

Our unique historic power depends on our beautiful and diverse culture – our literature, mythology, music, history and our native tongue – all of which we pledge to keep faith with and foster.

An Ghaeilge, the greatest gift from our dead generations, will remain the first official language. For most however, it is a foreign one. To revitalise it from the ground up, we therefore vow to reconstruct our educational approach, with an emphasis on teaching its verbal usage. We pledge to love and respect our native tongue as a living, breathing thing.

It is in pride and love of our country that we are united. Is ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine.

On behalf of a new generation Róisín Nic Liam (17), Gaelcholáiste Choilm, Ballincollig, Co Cork, and Sophie Bannon (14), Loreto College, St Stephen’s Green, Dublin