Here’s a Guardian report of a fine gesture by the Irish government:

“Ireland has publicly acknowledged its British military past by issuing a stamp commemorating, for the first time, those who died at the battle of the Somme in 1916. Next week the Irish government will break fresh ground by staging a state ceremony at the Islandbridge war memorial in Dublin to remember the thousands of Irishmen and those from the Ulster Division who perished in one of the bloodiest engagements of the first world war. For decades those in the republic who volunteered to serve with British forces during the first and second world wars kept silent about their experience and received no recognition. Poppies were rarely worn on Remembrance Day. Public praise was reserved for those who participated in the “blood sacrifice” of the 1916 Easter uprising and the war of independence which led to the withdrawal of British troops and the foundation of the Irish state. The ending of Northern Ireland’s Troubles, however, has initiated a period of cross-border reconciliation and renewed interest in those Irish men and women whose military service was sidelined by republican versions of history. Launching the programme to honour the 90th anniversary of the Somme, the Irish prime minister, Bertie Ahern, said it reflected “the shared history and shared experience of the people of this island, from all traditions, in the year of 1916. “The battle of the Somme saw many young Irish men tragically lose their lives. It is fitting that their sacrifice is remembered. It is important that the history of all of the people of this island is acknowledged and commemorated in an appropriate and respectful manner.”

Nicely said, Prime Minister.