Paisley, Ahern in vow over future

In the latest remarkable event signalling a rapid thawing of relations between the unionist leader and the Dublin Government, both men agreed to consign the past to history.

This time the historic moment was played out at the hugely significant Battle of the Boyne site where the Protestant King William III defeated Catholic King James II in 1690.

Mr Ahern's government bought the Co Meath landmark, deep inside the Irish Republic, seven years ago and is pouring 15 million euro (£10.2 million) into a visitors' centre in a gesture to northern Protestants.

"We cannot change what went before on this ground or across these islands but history can make many turns and today in this special place for our history it is another good day," Mr Ahern said.

Dr Paisley, who was joined by his wife Baroness (Eileen) Paisley and Democratic Unionist Party ministers in the restored Stormont Executive, went one further insisting it was a great day.

"Instead of reverberating to the roar of cannon fire, the charge of men, the shot of musket or the clash of sword steel today we have tranquility of still water where we can contemplate the past and look forward to the future," he said.

The DUP leader employed his renowned imagery-rich oratorical skills to evoke momentous events in European, British and Irish history that were the roots of the recent conflict. He recalled the people who had fought on the "green glassy slopes of the Boyne" to cement the Glorious Revolution and parliamentary democracy.

But he insisted he was also there to acknowledge the shared heritage of people throughout the island of Ireland and a common will to move forward. "The days we are talking about are over and we must now look to the future," he declared.

Mr Ahern said it would take time to heal all the wounds but noted the dizzying rate of movement in cross-border relations that has even taken the Irish government by surprise. "The events of these past few weeks bring forth the same shared feelings of hope and optimism in all of the people in this island and indeed and across the world," he said.