To educate you on Irish history would take far longer than this space in this blog would allow. Rather, let me make a few suggestions.

1. Your travels across the world present you with an incredible opportunity to grow in your grasp and understanding of this gloriously diverse world in which we live. Embrace that opportunity fully. By all means drink in experiences, engage in conversations, listen to people’s stories.

But remember, that every story is an interpretation, shaped by the speaker’s own life, history and world view. No opinion expressed on any subject (including this one) says everything that can – or should – be said. This is especially true in Ireland.

History is interpretation of facts, and facts that have been selected from a greater whole. Ask yourself: what other interpretations could be given than the one I’m listening to? What other facts should be included to help me understand more fully? If you do this as you speak to people in your travels, then you are much more likely to benefit more deeply from the unique, life-shaping journey you are on.

1. More specifically, if you feel like testing out any of the points you’ve made above regarding Irish history, let me suggest you post them in wikipedia and wait to see what responses await you there as you’re views are cross examined and moderated by a broader range of people.

Let me suggest, for starters, that you try out this line of yours:

“…the British shut down the Catholics’ public transport system (among other services like electricity).”

See what reaction you get to that one.

May I be so bold as to suggest that perhaps you yourself have been more influenced by your own pre-determined world view before you even set foot in Ireland? A world view that has led you (consciously or sub-consciously) to present your own interpretation of Ireland’s past, one that reinforces the black and white notion of an innocent minority ruthlessly opressed by a sinister colonising force. This is pantomine history writ large – quick, here comes the bad guy – let’s booooo and hiss!

Michael, let me invite you to open your mind up more fully. Travelling the world should broaden your perspectives; don’t bring pre-conceived prejudices to bear so uncritically to the experiences you’re having.

I wish you every success in your global adventure. I see you’re off to Morocco next. That was the first country outside of Europe that I visited and I had a truly life shaping experience there. You’re going to have a wonderful time – the Moroccans I met were friendly, warm and humourous. Talk with them (I hope your French is good!). Listen. And remember to ask yourself those key questions when you hear the stories being told. They just might change your world.

I’m anything but worthy to comment on the situation in question, there’s no doubt about that, but my interpretation of what Seamus was saying was that regardless of the details (politics, righteousness, prior wrongs done, atrocities committed – which both sides of the Troubles are documented as having committed, too, incidentally), there’s a right way forward and a wrong way forward, and that if the Irish can develop a peace process to begin to overcome their differences, then maybe others can too, in their struggles.

I think I made an erroneous connection to the anti-Israeli mural (done by a separate group), which is my mistake, not Seamus’s bias or that of the Irish community at large. I think the community here just wants to aid the peace process, regardless of the politics. Maybe there comes a time when the politics doesn’t matter any more, and peace is the only important thing?