Historic Day for Northern Ireland

"Its a glorious day" and "May peace finally settle into the hearts of our Irish sons" are two of the comments I have heard today, on this historic day. People are hugging, crying, laughing, and remembering those that have fallen during the troubles. It has been a long, hard, deadly road, but finally peace seems to be falling over the land to the north.

I called my cousin in England who was born here and who lost family during this conflict. We laughed, we cried, we remembered. This is a scene that is happening all over this great land tonight.

I am going to go out with some friends in a few to have a drink or two for the people, for the peace, for those not forgotten.

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Northern Ireland has a new power-sharing government in an historic day at Stormont.
DUP leader Ian Paisley and Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness took their pledges of office as devolution returned.

Five years of direct rule by London-appointed ministers has ended. Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern witnessed the creation of the new executive. Mr Paisley said: "Today we are starting upon the road which I believe will take us to lasting peace in our province."

He added: "I welcome the pledge we have all taken to that effect today... that is the rock foundation upon which we must build.

"From the depths of my heart I can say I believe Northern Ireland has come to a time of peace, a time when hate will no longer rule.

"How good it will be to be part of a wonderful healing in this province."

In an interview for the BBC, Mr Blair was asked about the morality of some of the decisions he made to bring about the restoration of devolution.
He said: "There are people who still think that the compromises that were made along the way were unacceptable. But sometimes politics is about that in order to achieve a better end - and there are always two kinds of people in politics - those who stand aside and commentate and those who get their hands dirty and do.