IRISH and UK government ministers yesterday jointly laid the foundation stone of a new monument in dublin to commemorate soldiers from all over Ireland who lost their lives in the two world wars.
Northern Ireland secretary Theresa Villiers accompanied the Irish minister for arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Jimmy deenihan at the ceremony in Glasnevin Cemetery.
The monumental Cross of sacrifice is being erected by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, with support from the Irish government, to mark the centenary of the first World War.
It will commemorate the sacrifice of all Irish soldiers who lost their lives in both world wars.
In recent years, as anglo-Irish relations have markedly improved, there has been a growing acknowledgement in the republic of Ireland of the contribution its citizens made fighting in the British army during the first World War - just before independence. An official apology from the Irish government has also been issued to those thousands of soldiers who deserted its neutral forces during the second World War to fight for Britain against Nazi Germany, and were effectively ostracised by the state on their return.
Ms Villiers said it was a "great honour" to lay the foundation stone for the new Cross of sacrifice.
"I can think of no better setting for a memorial to remember the tens of thousands of Irishmen who made the ultimate sacrifice during the world wars," she said.