Pupils raise European flag as a way of celebrating peace and unity

IRELAND joined the European Union 50 years ago with schools raising the flag and singing the European anthem, as a way of celebrating peace and unity.

Primary and secondary school students, along with community groups, were invited by the Government of Ireland to join in the celebration of Ireland’s 50 years in the European Union (EU).

St Kevin’s Girls National School in Kilnamanagh joined in with the celebrations with all 280 students taking part on Europe Day, which was marked on May 8 and 9.

A flagpole on the premises now dons the European Union flag and students from first, second and third class sung the Europe anthem Ode to Joy with great gusto – while everyone else joined in.

“It was nice to raise awareness of the European Union,” Miriam Dignam, principal of St Kevin’s GNS, tells The Echo.

“I was kind of telling the girls about how we had World War One and after World War Two, they set up this as a way of stopping wars.

“Of course we still have war, but that the EU was a good thing and hopefully we’d have peace in Europe for a long time.

“The whole school gathered around as we raised the EU flag and sang the EU anthem, Ode to Joy, it was a nice day.”

Ireland signed the Treaty of Accession to the Join the European Economic Community (EEC) – which is now the European Union – in 1972.

EEC membership meant that the Oireachtas would no longer be the sole law-making power in the state, which made it necessary to hold a referendum.

Held on May 10, 1972, the referendum passed with four out of five people voting in favour from a 70.3 percent voter turnout.

Ireland then officially joined the European Economic Community on January 1, 1973 – 50-years-ago this year.