TAOISEACH Enda Kenny has paid tribute to the 30,000 Irish men who died for Britain during the Crimean War as he said he hopes "common sense prevails" in the region today.
Pointing out the huge casualties suffered by Irish soldiers during the 19th century war, Enda Kenny asked for a solution to raging disputes about Crimea to be found “without bloodshed or economic catastrophe”.
The Taoiseach spoke about the Ukranian peninsula, whose citizens are due to take part in a controversial referendum that could see it returned to Russia this weekend, during his London visit.
In the first of four engagements in the city, the Fine Gael leader opened the new offices of London-Irish construction firm Corbyn Ltd.
The company has renovated the historic Gallions Hotel in London’s Royal Docks district.
Paying tribute to Corbyn’s founder, fellow Mayo man Mick Cusack, Mr Kenny said he had created a company of “integrity, credibility and reputation”.
“What you have done is epitomise the new values that Irish people have; unafraid of hard work, consistency in the face of challenge and the competence to do the job and get it done,” he explained.
“That is why Corbyn stands as an outstanding example of the kind of company and the kind of people that we have when we put our finest to a single objective.”
The Taoiseach inspects the new headstone at the London grave of Mayo inventor Louis BrennanThe Taoiseach also spoke of Ireland’s “complex” relationship with Britain in his speech, delivered hours before he was due to meet with Prime Minister David Cameron.
But he said Ireland was in a different place in its relationship with Britain thanks to people like Mr Cusack, who had made a contribution to Britain’s society and economy.
“At home, we value and understand and appreciate the effort that you have made,” he said.
“And for your children here this is a great thing that they can say their parents, in this case, own a company and they can stand among the best that Britain can offer.”
Mr Kenny said people in Ireland had shown the same qualities he praised in Mr Cusack.
“For the last three years it has been a difficult journey for our people, difficult economically given the scale of the catastrophe that was inherited,” he explained.
“It is a testament to their patience and their courage and their willingness to confront economic challenges that we are now in a very different place internationally.
“We are looked at objectively by the markets as being back there on our own two feet, able to stand up in front of any other country and point the way forwards.”
Referring again to relations between Britain and Ireland, the Taoiseach went on to highlight the possibility of a referendum on Britain’s EU membership.
Regardless of what happens in the vote, promised in 2017 by Mr Cameron if he wins next year’s general election, Mr Kenny said the two countries would maintain their strong trade ties.
But Ireland would not follow Britain out of the EU if it chose to leave, he warned.
“We have very close links with this country in trade and economics and we are going to keep that,” Mr Kenny explained.
“But we also have put our future in the European Union, the Eurozone and the Euro as part of a market of 500million people and if that potential can be unleashed, think of the opportunities for so many people, so many hundreds of millions, over the next 20 years that can benefit.”
Earlier today Mr Kenny honoured the Mayo-born inventor of the torpedo, Louis Brennan, who has lain in an unmarked grave in London for 80 years.
The ceremony took place this morning in St Mary’s Cemetery, Kensal Green in North London, including a church service and the unveiling of a new gravestone.
