“I am deeply sorry.” After 38 years, these words are late in coming, but important to be said and heard rather than left for historians to ponder. Penned by the author of “Sunday, Bloody Sunday”, this Op Ed piece by Bono in the NYTimes today is one of many reflections of this historic moment. It is also a gentle reminder of the huge costs in not addressing issues peacefully that need to be addressed.

As we prepare to travel to Ireland on Wed, to enjoy the music and fellowship in the pubs, we should also reflect on the more somber side of Irish history that I thought Bono captured well here, “…for a moment, the other life that Martin McGuinness could have had seemed to appear in his face: a commander of the Irish Republican Army that day in 1972, he looked last week like the fly fisherman he is, not the gunman he became.” The words of an old fisherman’s song from Cork ring true.

“…And still I live in hope to see
the Holy Ground once more.”