PLACE IN IRISH HISTORY ASSURED
Place in Irish history assured
By William Graham
Political Correspondent
TONY BLAIR felt "the hand of history" on his shoulder during the signing of the Good Friday agreement in 1998 and this pivotal event in Irish history may become his finest moment.
Prime Minister Blair yesterday disclosed that he will stand down within the next twelve months.
With his career coming to an end the prime minister is clearly feeling pressure on the domestic front particularly in the polls up against a renewed Conservative Party under David Cameron
British Labour foreign policy on Iraq and Afghanistan has also turned into something of a personal nightmare for Prime Minister Blair.
The late Enoch Powell once observed that all political careers end in failure.
Unusually for a British politician it is in the north of Ireland where Blair will find his brightest place in history.
This is in the context of Blair's personal and political contribution to a peace process which although imperfect has not ended in failure but is evolving and progressing step by step.
Just last year Blair described the IRA's decision to formally end its campaign and dump arms as "a step of unparalleled magnitude".
More than any British politician before him Tony Blair has expended a greater deal of time and energy on the tangled Northern Ireland political process in co-operation with Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.
He also worked closely with the then US President Bill Clinton in persuading the parties to sign up to the Belfast agreement.
Prime Minister Blair has witnessed the progress in the best of times of the peace process but also has experienced the worst of times.
Blair and Bill Clinton went themselves to Omagh after the horror bombing and met survivors and relatives of those who died.
The prime minister noted then that he "would never forget that meeting" and talked about never forgetting those who died as "we owe it to them above all to build a lasting peace'.'
Blair still passionately believes that the Good Friday agreement which was overwhelmingly endorsed by people north and south holds out the prospect of a peaceful long-term future for Northern Ireland and the whole island of Ireland.
Nationalist politicians have commented that Mr Blair has shown a sense of mission in Ireland while some unionists have sensed that he has sometimes rushed headlong in perhaps trying to create timetables and deadlines.
In this part of the world deadlines are always difficult yet Mr Blair is to have yet another go at persuading the DUP to share power with Sinn Fein by November 24.
Mr Blair and Mr Ahern are due to host talks with the northern political parties in Scotland next month.
These talks may be the last throw of the political dice for Mr Blair in the Irish peace process but as yet there is no sign Ian Paisley will present him with a going away present in the form of agreement on powersharing devolution.
If Mr Blair does not get to the end-game in the political process before he steps down he will be remembered for his contribution to helping with the building blocks.
In November 1998 Blair made history by becoming the first British prime minister to address the Irish parliament.
Blair (whose mother was born in Ballyshannon) spoke then of the British and the Irish being "irredeemably linked".
He said there was "so much shared history, so much shared pain... and now (in the peace process) the shared hope of a new beginning".
Footnote: (Blair's most famous quote in the peace process was: "I feel the hand of history on our shoulder in respect of this ... I really do.")
By William Graham
Political Correspondent
TONY BLAIR felt "the hand of history" on his shoulder during the signing of the Good Friday agreement in 1998 and this pivotal event in Irish history may become his finest moment.
Prime Minister Blair yesterday disclosed that he will stand down within the next twelve months.
With his career coming to an end the prime minister is clearly feeling pressure on the domestic front particularly in the polls up against a renewed Conservative Party under David Cameron
British Labour foreign policy on Iraq and Afghanistan has also turned into something of a personal nightmare for Prime Minister Blair.
The late Enoch Powell once observed that all political careers end in failure.
Unusually for a British politician it is in the north of Ireland where Blair will find his brightest place in history.
This is in the context of Blair's personal and political contribution to a peace process which although imperfect has not ended in failure but is evolving and progressing step by step.
Just last year Blair described the IRA's decision to formally end its campaign and dump arms as "a step of unparalleled magnitude".
More than any British politician before him Tony Blair has expended a greater deal of time and energy on the tangled Northern Ireland political process in co-operation with Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.
He also worked closely with the then US President Bill Clinton in persuading the parties to sign up to the Belfast agreement.
Prime Minister Blair has witnessed the progress in the best of times of the peace process but also has experienced the worst of times.
Blair and Bill Clinton went themselves to Omagh after the horror bombing and met survivors and relatives of those who died.
The prime minister noted then that he "would never forget that meeting" and talked about never forgetting those who died as "we owe it to them above all to build a lasting peace'.'
Blair still passionately believes that the Good Friday agreement which was overwhelmingly endorsed by people north and south holds out the prospect of a peaceful long-term future for Northern Ireland and the whole island of Ireland.
Nationalist politicians have commented that Mr Blair has shown a sense of mission in Ireland while some unionists have sensed that he has sometimes rushed headlong in perhaps trying to create timetables and deadlines.
In this part of the world deadlines are always difficult yet Mr Blair is to have yet another go at persuading the DUP to share power with Sinn Fein by November 24.
Mr Blair and Mr Ahern are due to host talks with the northern political parties in Scotland next month.
These talks may be the last throw of the political dice for Mr Blair in the Irish peace process but as yet there is no sign Ian Paisley will present him with a going away present in the form of agreement on powersharing devolution.
If Mr Blair does not get to the end-game in the political process before he steps down he will be remembered for his contribution to helping with the building blocks.
In November 1998 Blair made history by becoming the first British prime minister to address the Irish parliament.
Blair (whose mother was born in Ballyshannon) spoke then of the British and the Irish being "irredeemably linked".
He said there was "so much shared history, so much shared pain... and now (in the peace process) the shared hope of a new beginning".
Footnote: (Blair's most famous quote in the peace process was: "I feel the hand of history on our shoulder in respect of this ... I really do.")
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0801
Published Date: 08-Sep-06
Related Images
There have been no images archived for this article.