The decision of the British government to pardon the 306 soldiers, including 26 from Ireland, who were executed during the first World War, has been welcomed by Irish politicians and by the Shot at Dawn Campaign.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern welcomed the announcement that the British plan to begin the process of issuing a retrospective pardon for soldiers executed for military offences during the war.
"We believe that a grave injustice was done to those young men and the Government has therefore given its full support to the Irish Shot at Dawn Campaign. This was done so that we could recover their memory from dishonour and bring comfort to their families, and also in the wider spirit of recognising the experience and sacrifice of the tens of thousands of young men from all across this island who fell during the first World War," said the Minister.
He pointed out that in October 2004, the Government had formally submitted a comprehensive report on the issue to the British government through the Irish Embassy in London.
"We have been in regular contact since then with a view to finding a satisfactory resolution to this issue. We now look forward to discussing these new proposals with the British authorities during the forthcoming consultation process," he said.
The co-ordinator of the Irish Shot at Dawn Campaign, Peter Mulvaney, expressed his delight at the British government move. "It's a very, very welcome decision which was made by the British, considering the fact that they wouldn't go down this road since 1998. That they have done it is very welcome. It's very compassionate, humane and very wise." Mr Mulvaney thanked the Government for its support of the campaign: "It vindicates the Irish Government position when they came on board and supported the campaign in 2004." He praised Mr Ahern for persisting in raising the issue with the British.
Mr Mulvaney pointed out that whereas Ireland provided 2 per cent of the British army recruits it provided 8 per cent of those executed.
"The process will remove insofar as is practicable the dishonour and the stigma of the execution itself," he said, adding that there would now be a consultation process between the British and Irish governments over the next couple of months and a final decision on how to proceed would be made in October.
The Labour Party spokesman on defence, Joe Costello TD, welcomed the news, saying his party had long supported Shot at Dawn. "Ninety years is a long time to wait for these pardons, but the announcement finally vindicates the long campaign that has been fought by the families of these men," he said.
Senator Paschal Mooney of Fianna Fáil, a leading activist in the campaign, expressed delight at the development. "This is wonderful news for the surviving families of those 'shot at dawn' and Peter Mulvany and the members of the campaign."
The offences with which all the soldiers were charged, convicted and summarily executed were repealed by the British authorities in 1930. This followed continued lobbying by ex-servicemen who were disillusioned by the military system of the time.
