Conflict in Northern Ireland- "Oh God Help Us"

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                                                                                                         Anna Cornock LVG

Conflict in Northern Ireland- “Oh God Help Us”

        On the day Charlie’s father Seamus, had died there had been fighting. Now that was no big thing to Charlie and his friends or indeed even his rivals for just about everything they did was scrutinised. And although Charlie would never say it, it was his father’s fault they were in such a mess. Yes, it would have still been hard even if Seamus had not done what he did that day he died, but less so. For on the day Seamus was so brutally murdered, he was not the only warrior laid to rest. The murder of Seamus was not unprovoked though, for earlier that day Seamus himself had ripped away another woman’s husband and another’s child father. That day Seamus had not even turned to the person he believed he was fighting for. He had gotten so caught up in the fight that he muttered not one word as he lifted that crowbar to John McLeary’s head, not even his usual battle cry of ‘ Or so help thee God’.

        Sean McLeary and his brother, Malachi sat in silence opposite their father’s stone. His ashes had been spread out at sea, as he had always said he wanted them to because ‘ there is no place on this land that is not too conflict ridden to lay someone to rest upon’. So now he only had a stone that had a few words in harsh letters carved in the yellowing stone. There was one thing, which had always left Sean cold and resolute. This was that as at the bottom of every other stone, was in scripted the words ‘PROTESTANT’.

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        ‘Now who wants to have that on their death bed?’ Sean wondered aloud. His brother sat up and questioned him on his mutterings.

        ‘ I mean having it written across your stone like that seems to say, it’s okay, don’t attack this grave- he was a follower. Not that there is anything wrong in that, it’s just that it seems a bit harsh that you even need to wear your religion like that even when you are dead. I mean, surely it’s not right that even dead men are questioned.’

        To this his brother gave no reply. For honestly, there ...

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