As the Orangemen were mustering for Drumcree and the country was holding its breath last week, a conciliatory and civilised meeting was underway in Dublin designed to reconcile the two traditions.
The Inter-departmental Committee on the development of the Battle of the Boyne site, set up by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, David Andrews, in January met last week for the third time, chaired by Department second secretary, Dermot Gallagher. It aims to develop the site and "encourage and facilitate an understanding of the battle, in the context of promoting reconciliation and mutual understanding on the island". An inventory of historical and archaeological material will be established, an extensive cartographic and photographic record will be created and significant locations identified.
Committee members include representatives from the departments of Foreign Affairs, Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, and the Environment; the OPW and Bord Failte, but not (because it's inter-departmental), any Orangemen. So is this an unusual case of the losers, rather than the victors, writing the history?