THE Irish rugby team may wear white ribbons when they play in Paris today as part of a campaign to show support for peace in Ireland. The campaign was launched yesterday by the Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Spring.
"This past week has been one of the darkest times in the lives of all of us who care about our country," he said. "I have been struck by the number of people who have come up to me or written or phoned, basically to express a huge sense of frustration at the way peace is being ripped apart in front of our eyes.
"Those of us in public life are doing all we can to win back the peace. But in this time of crisis, every Irishman and woman should have a personal opportunity to make a stand for peace.
He suggested wearing a white ribbon over the coming days to give "a personal sign that we stand together for peace and for an immediate end to killing". The team was to decide last night if it would wear the ribbons.
The Department of Foreign Affairs arranged for 2,000 ribbons to be available at its front office at St Stephen's Green in Dublin and the Tanaiste handed some out in Grafton Street yesterday morning.
Yesterday the Adjutant General of the Defence Forces, Maj Gen Tony Wall, contacted regional commanders to say members of the forces were to be allowed to wear white ribbons on their uniforms. Normally only badges and medals are worn.
A minute's silence was observed at 12.30 p.m. yesterday in businesses throughout the State. RTE stopped broadcasting, but the bustle of Grafton Street continued as normal until staff from the Body Shop stood in front of the premises with a peace banner. About 200 people who had been passing stopped and stood in silence.
In College Green a book of condolences was opened for the families of tlie two men killed by Friday's bomb in London. The book was arranged by the Peace Train Organisation which held a rally at the site at 1 p.m. attended by about 300 people.
"The whole country North and South is in a state of shock," Mr Chris Hudson of the organisation told the crowd. "The last 18 months were to all of us a godsend. Many say that talks were not taking place, but talks were taking place between the ordinary decent people from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland." The bomb, he said, had "shattered all our dreams and set back all our hopes and what we say today to the IRA is we want the ceasefire restored without preconditions".
He called for prayers for Sinn Fein and loyalist leaders and asked Sinn Fein leaders "to double your efforts to make sure that the IRA make a decision sooner rather than later to restore the ceasefire".
The rally was also addressed by Ms Eileen Bell, an Alliance party councillor from Belfast. She said, many people from the Republic, had visited the city since the ceasefires began, especially at Christmas. "We felt as if we were invaded. It was wonderful. We want that again," she said.
The host of a US radio programme on Irish affairs will offer white ribbons to anyone interested in promoting a non violent resolution to the political situation in Northern Ireland.
Mr Adrian Flannelly, host of the Today's Irish Today show in New York, said the ribbons provided an opportunity for people to show their support for peaceful negotiations. He said the Irish American community was still in shock over the ending of the ceasefire.
The Department of Foreign Affairs said later that Interflora and 240 florists in Ireland had offered to make white ribbons available free of charge and An Post had promised to make them available at post offices.