>From: Asbjørn Nordam <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list <[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: FYI: the door of reconciliation >Date: Sun, 29 Jul 2001 22:46:19 +0200 > >Friends, >In early may I visited Dublin, Ireland. FYI: In St. Patrick´s Cathedral, >Dublin you can see the rest of "the door of reconciliation". >In 1492, public attention in Dublin was focused on the rivalry of two >powerful Anglo-Norman families, the Butlers and Fitzgeralds. In order to >counter the political dominance of Gerald Fitzgerald, Earl of Kildare, King >Henry VII gave his support to Fitzgerald´s rival, Thomas Butler, Earl of >Ormond. Matters came to a head when Butler´s nephew, Black James, arrived >in Dublin with an army. Supporters of the rival factions fought a battle >inside the cathedral. During the battle, Black James was forced to retreat >into the chapter house. Despite Fitzgerald´s feelings towards the Butler >family, the Earl of Kildare could not be seen to stand aside while a royal >servant was murdered in a cathedral. Suspecting treachery, Black James could >only be induced to leave the chapter house when Fitzgerald cut a hole in the >door and thrust his arm through to offer his hand in peace. >It has been claimed that the idiom "to chance your arm" derives from this >episode in the cathedral. >A note in the Cathedral said, that there is a lesson for all of us engaged >in feuds, whether brother to brother, nation to nation. If one of us would >dare to "chance his arm", perhaps that would be the first crucial step to >reconciliation we all seek. > >When I stood there and read the story of this door, I come to think of this >whole idea of reconciliation once again. > >Just a comment on the situation in The Gambia inspired from a tour to >Dublin, Ireland. > >Asbjørn Nordam > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L >Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html >You may also send subscription requests to [log in to unmask] >if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to write your full name and e-mail address. >----------------------------------------------------------------------------