AN event aimed at understanding the 1916 Easter Rising has been hailed a success.
About 250 people attended the Making History Talk in the Killyhevlin Hotel in Enniskillen last Thursday which was jointly organised by County Fermanagh Grand Orange Lodge and a number of Fermanagh Churches. 
It was one of a series of discussions on the ‘decade of centenaries’: others have included the Ulster Covenant, the First World War and the Battle of the Somme.
The two main speakers were Dr. Brian Feeney, head of history at St Mary’s College, Belfast and co-author of the award-winning book, Lost Lives and Senator Michael McDowell, a founding member of the Progressive Democrats and a former Attorney General, Minister of Justice and Tánaiste in the Irish Government.
The discussion was chaired by political commentator and columnist, Alex Kane who commented: “Dr Feeney and Senator McDowell addressed aspects of the 1916 Rising, including the causes and events of the week and some analysis of the key players.”
Afterwards there was a wide-ranging question and answer session focusing on the lasting impact of the Rising and whether it still coloured the ongoing nature of the relationship between the British and Irish governments and between unionists and republicans here.
“I was pleased to see an audience which embraced unionists, republicans, Orange Order members, a number of political parties and the general public,” said Mr. Kane.
“In Northern Ireland history tends to be a living, breathing thing with the past almost always in front of us rather than behind us. So it is important that we have these conversations and understand how and why there are different perspectives. We need to understand each other if we are to move on together,” he said. 
Sinn Féin National Chairperson Declan Kearney, who attended the event with Fermanagh-south Tyrone MLA Seán Lynch, praised organisers.
“I congratulate the Orange Order and the Protestant section of our community in Fermanagh for organising this discussion on the Easter Rising,” he said, adding how he agreed with County Grand Master Stuart Booker that such initiatives should not be about agreeing or disagreeing on our history but about developing a greater understanding.
“I said that it is quite valid for us as a society to agree to disagree but that willingness to engage with each other on the basis of equality must be paramount. Engagement about our differences increases mutual understanding and that builds national respect. Direct engagement, appreciation for each other, increased understanding and mutual respect are the basis upon which to discuss our historic and current cultural and political differences and societal divisions. This represents the way forward to building an inclusive, equal, agreed and shared future. I hope we can look forward to similar initiatives as that taken by the Orange and Protestant Churches in Fermanagh being organised elsewhere,” he said.