President Honours Slane Poet
On June 7th President McAleese honoured Slane poet Francis Ledwidge by visiting his final resting place just north of the city of Ieper in Belgium. The President accompanied by her husband Mr. Martin McAleese and Minister of State Mr. Dick Roche first stopped at the exact spot where the poet was killed on July 31st 1917, now commemorated by a monument erected by the city of Ieper. She was greeted at the monument by the Mayor of Ieper Mr. Luc Dehaene, Mr. Piet Chielens Director of the In Flanders Fields Museum and by Mr. Gareth Yore a member of the Francis Ledwidge Museum Committee.

After a few minutes of reflection the President proceeded to the final resting place of the poet in Artillery Wood cemetery just a few hundred metres from the monument. During the visit President McAleese expressed a great fondness for the writings of the poet. She expressed regret for the untimely death of Francis and the countless others who perished in the Great War. The President also noted that she had visited the Ledwidge Cottage Museum in Slane on a couple of occasions prior to her becoming President and was very impressed by both the museum and its gardens. Mr. Gareth Yore informed the President that there is now an exact replica of the monument constructed from Flemish brick by Flemish craftsmen in the back garden of Ledwidge cottage.

The President then proceeded to the Irish Peace Park at Messine some 10 km away which commemorates the Irish soldiers who fought and died in the battle to capture the Messine ridge. Ledwidge was again honoured here by the President as she unveiled a plaque containing his poem ''Soliloquy".

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