Herald Opinion: Easter - a time to hope for what still might be

Easter weekend — a time for celebration, as Christians across the world reflect on the very heart of their faith. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, events that took place nearly 2,000 years ago in a part of the world we now know as Israel, still hold deep significance for millions.

But this Easter, as we mark a message of hope and renewal, our thoughts are inevitably drawn to that same region, now torn apart by violence. Today, peace feels like a distant concept there. The brutal war between Hamas and Israel continues to rage, leaving destruction, loss, and heartbreak on all sides. Some say it’s about religion. Others claim it’s about land. But whatever the cause, the outcome is the same: suffering. Hatred and devastation dominate. And no one wins.

Here in Ireland, we’re no strangers to conflict and division. We’ve endured hardship, occupation, and civil strife. But we also know what it means to move beyond it, to seek peace, even when it’s not easy. The Good Friday Agreement, signed in 1998, was an Easter present to this island, one that helped so many and undoubtedly saved many more. It offered us a path forward, built on dialogue, forgiveness, and courage.

I spent part of this Easter weekend in Carrick-on-Shannon, watching Mayo take on Leitrim in the Connacht Senior Football Championship. Many predicted a one-sided affair. The strong and seasoned Mayo side were expected to devour Leitrim, the underdogs like Roman lions in a Coliseum. Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada became that imagined arena.

But no one had handed the actors their scripts.

Leitrim defied expectations. They played with grit, heart, and pride. Kevin McStay’s Mayo team, though ultimately victorious, had to work hard for every score. And Leitrim left the field with their heads high, their supporters proud. It reminded us all why we love Gaelic football not just for wins and the trophies, but for spirit, character, and moments of unexpected defiance.

On Sunday, it was my turn to travel to Galway for the other Connacht semi-final, as Roscommon faced off against the Tribesmen at Pearse Stadium. Another battle. Sadly not our day but it was another page in the ever-unfolding story of Irish sport. Our games provide not just entertainment, but a reflection of who we are: resilient, passionate, and always up for a challenge. And yes Roscommon will bounce back.

But Easter in Ireland isn’t only about faith or football. It’s a time of national remembrance too. Each year, we recall the events of the 1916 Easter Rising — a defining moment in our journey toward freedom. Thinking of the men and women who risked and gave everything for an idea, for the belief that Ireland could stand on its own, no longer under foreign rule.

This weekend, I stood in stadia named after two of that Rising’s most iconic figures: Patrick Pearse and Seán Mac Diarmada. Their names aren’t just etched in stone or remembered in books they’re stitched into our lives, into the very fields where communities gather to compete and connect. Sport and history go hand in hand in Ireland. One fuels the other. One tells us who we are, the other reminds us who we’ve been.

You’ve probably heard the old line: that more people were at the Irish Grand National in Fairyhouse than were at the GPO on Easter Monday 1916, for the record the winner that day was a horse named All Sorts and owned by a J Kiernan. Maybe it’s true that more were in Meath that Easter Monday than on O’Connell Street or Sackville Street as it was called then , regardless it misses the point. What happened that day wasn’t about crowd size, it was about courage. About people standing up and saying, “Enough.” They demanded dignity, self-determination, and freedom.

It didn’t come easily. The Rising was crushed. Its leaders were executed. The dream nearly died with them. But over time, the tide turned. By 1921, we had secured a measure of independence. With the 1937 Constitution, we began to define ourselves. And in 1949, we became a Republic. Today, we live in peace and freedom because of the sacrifices made by so many before us.

Sometimes I wonder would we have the same courage today? Would we rise against injustice, for our neighbours and our communities? My grandfather fought in the War of Independence. Later, the Civil War. I ask myself: why did he do it? Why did so many others? What did they believe in so strongly that they were willing to risk it all?

And maybe more importantly — is there still something worth standing for?

Perhaps not every fight needs to be a war. Perhaps dialogue and understanding are better paths now. But at the core of it all is the same message: stand for something. Stand for each other.

Ah yes, Easter — that time to rise. Whether in faith, in memory, or in the face of adversity on a football pitch, it is a time to reflect on what has been, and to hope for what still might be.

Hopefully we can cherish the peace we have, honour those who made it possible, and hold hope for peace in places still searching for theirs. And yes Roscommon we will rise too!