    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1998, Book I)]
    [April 11, 1998]
    [Pages 552-553]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    The President's Radio Address
    April 11, 1998

        Good morning. Across America and around the world, this is a holy
    weekend for three of the world's great religions. Christians are
    celebrating Easter; Jews, Passover; and Muslims have just ended their
    annual pilgrimage, the Hajj.
        On this special weekend, the eyes of the world and the prayers of so
    many are focused on Northern Ireland, as an historic peace agreement was
    reached among representatives of all the major parties to that long and
    tragic conflict.
        I especially want to salute the leadership of Prime Minister Bertie
    Ahern of Ireland, Prime Minister Tony
    Blair of Great Britain, and the leaders of all
    the parties who came together in a remarkable display of courage to set
    aside differences in the pursuit of peace. I also salute the previous
    Prime Ministers of Ireland and Great Britain, who started and nourished
    this peace process.
        And all Americans should take a special measure of pride that the
    talks in Northern Ireland were chaired by George Mitchell, the former majority leader of the United States
    Senate, who has served his country and the cause of peace very, very
    well. I thank him for his brilliant leadership.
        Of course, we understand that the pain and hatred of so many years
    cannot and will not be washed away in one weekend. So on behalf of the
    American people, I pledge the continuing aid, support, encouragement,
    and prayers of the United States to the effort to build a lasting peace
    and an enduring prosperity in Ireland and Northern Ireland.
        In the last analysis, the future of that region lies in the hearts
    and hands of its people. Like so many Americans, part of my family calls
    Ireland home. And having been there, having met with so many remarkable
    Irish men and women from all sides of the conflict, I have seen the
    future in their eyes--a future in which children can grow up free from
    fear; a future rich with the lilt of Irish laughter, not the pain of
    bitter tears.
        There may be those who seek to undermine this agreement by returning
    to violence, so we are resolved that the acts of peace and courage will
    triumph over acts of cowardice and terror.
        Tomorrow the dawn will break on Easter morning. All across Ireland,
    Catholics and Protestants will, in their own way, proclaim their faith
    in the triumph of life over death. On this Easter, their leaders have
    lifted their Christian beliefs and have lived them by giving the people

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    of Ireland and Northern Ireland the chance to choose peace over
    conflict, indeed, to choose life over death.
        When I visited Ulster, and later the Republic of Ireland, the great
    Nobel Prize-winning Irish poet, Seamus Heaney,
    gave me a stanza from a poem he wrote that today hangs on the wall of my
    office in the upstairs of the White House. Its message has a special
    meaning today. Here's what it says:

        History says, Don't hope
        On this side of the grave.
        But then, once in a lifetime
        The longed-for tidal wave
        Of justice can rise up,
        And hope and history rhyme.

        What a wonderful Easter gift for the Irish, Irish-Americans, and
    lovers of peace everywhere.
        Thank you for listening.

    Note: The address was recorded at 3:30 p.m. on April 10 in the Oval
    Office at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on April 11.