BELGIUM: The Irish, British and Belgian flags fluttered side by side in the breeze yesterday while the President, Mrs McAleese, paid tribute to Irish soldiers buried in the war graves of Flanders.
Yesterday was the anniversary of the start of the third battle of Ypres in 1917, when soldiers from army divisions from both North and South of Ireland fought alongside each other.
"Here is a shared memory that we didn't share, forgot to share, for almost 90 years," said Mrs McAleese.
The sacrifice of nationalists who fought in the British army had not been properly respected. "We deliberately tore asunder that memory."
The President started her tour by visiting a memorial to the poet Francis Ledwidge, erected six years ago on the spot where he died on July 31st, 1917, just short of his 30th birthday.
A guard of honour drawn from Belgian veterans' associations greeted Mrs McAleese. A few hundred yards beyond, she visited Artillery Wood cemetery, which contains Ledwidge's grave.
Ledwidge, whose work is now recognised as of the highest quality, was laying duckboards on the muddy battlefield when he was killed by a shell.
A similar tribute was paid at Poelkapelle cemetery at the grave of Pte John Condon, the youngest Allied soldier to die. The boy from Waterford lied about his age when he joined the British army in January 1915, and died that May in the second battle of Ypres.
Mrs McAleese laid flowers at the headstone, which records his membership of the Royal Irish Regiment and his age at death: 14.
"This is a wonderful occasion," said Mr William Condon, son of Nicholas Condon, John's first cousin and best friend. He was at the grave side with his brother Nicholas, and their wives, and was introduced to the President. Now 68, Mr William Condon came to the grave for the first time only last year. "This is altogether very moving," he said.
The soldiers of the 36th (Ulster) Division and of the 16th (Irish) Division) fought alongside each other in the battle of Messines that launched the third Ypres offensive.
However, the momentum of the Allied advance from Messines was soon lost, becoming enmired in the mud of Passchendaele in appalling weather.
Yesterday, though, the sun shone gloriously as a crowd of around 350 took part in a short service of remembrance at the Island of Ireland Peace Park, which stands on the Messines Ridge.
The President was greeted on arrival by a guard of honour from the Irish United Nations' Veterans Association, the Organisation of National Ex-Servicemen and Women, the Royal Air Force Association and the British Legion.
She laid a wreath at the foot of the round tower, the symbolic monument which is the centrepiece of the park. Shortly after the peace park was opened by the President in November 1998, its maintenance became a subject of dispute. Its care has now been contracted out to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Many of those attending the service were also attending a conference in Messines of the International School for Peace Studies. Among those speaking are Mr Alex Maskey of Sinn Féin, Mr Gregory Campbell of the DUP, Mr David Ervine of PUP, and Sen Maurice Hayes.