Sport is one of the world’s only common languages. It unites us in competition and provides an outlet for tribalism that can often be a pressure valve in areas of tension.
On Friday night in Paris it became a target for the extremist terror that is used by evil people to turn religion into a sword. It used to be Christianity. In the modern era it is Islam that is used as a brutal implement of social power, damaging that vast majority of its own believers as much as those of other or no religion that get caught in the crosshairs.
The Stade de France was not attacked itself but the bombs in the area surrounding it were intended to send a message that sport is a target. Just as was music at the Betancourt theatre. Just as was youth in the bars and restaurants that were attacked.
Our thoughts are with those who died and were injured.
Our fear is that this was intended as a warning shot for future events, and in the main the gathering of European nations that will take place in Paris and across France next summer in the European Championships.
Northern Ireland fans will be there, hopefully joined by the Republic of Ireland fans as well. They will be gathered in bars and restaurants, on fan camps and on transport across the country.
They will be vulnerable, there will be fear and that is the ultimate win for terrorists. There will be restrictions during that tournament that over this weekend are being tightened and planned.
They will be needed to deflect the clearly well planned, well funded and insanely motivated individuals for whom life, their own or others, is immaterial to what they believe is a greater cause.
The terrorists cannot be allowed to win. We cannot allow governments to bow down. We cannot allow fear for ourselves to turn our back on the fear of those who are fleeing the very people who now strike fear into us.
Ireland has known terror in our lifetime. Our own people have visited it on cities where we ourselves have lived, worked and gone to great sporting occasions.
We have seen a way to emerge the other side. We can only hope that similar enlightenment can come to those who have taken life this weekend and have the power to do so again on an unimaginable scale.
