The Senator George Mitchell Peace Bridge is a road bridge across the border of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. It replaced an earlier structure to the east, known as the Aghalane Bridge, that was destroyed in 1972 by Irish Unionists during the Troubles.
The current bridge opened in April 1999 and was named after the United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland, George J. Mitchell, who acted as chairman in the Irish peace process talks that led to the Good Friday Agreement the previous year.
The Peace For All bronze sculpture by Derek A. Fitz Simons was dedicated along with the bridge opening.
On one level, it represents a life-size warrior who is both tired of war, and the futility of further slaughter and is gently embraced by his partner, who is the mother of Ireland and has the strength to catch him and to comfort. The female figure represents peace. The male figure is naked to highlight the equality of all people.
On another level, its meaning is more specific. The male figure is sometimes referred to as Cú Chulainn, an Irish mythological hero who appears in the stories of the Ulster Cycle and the woman as Éire, or Mother Ireland.
In 2016 the bronze was ripped from its pedestal, but found the next day by the side of the road. It was quickly reinstalled.
