Dalai Lama and Richard Moore

05.05.2010 - 05.05.2010 30 °C

We heard a rumor the second evening we were in Dharamsala that the Dalai Lama will be attending a local school for Tibetan children the following morning at 9 am. So the following morning we took a chance on it and got up at 7am and travelled 4km to this Tibetan school with 2000 children. We were greeted by hundreds of Tibetan children as we entered the school yard and there were also a handful of puzzles looking westerners who had obviously heard the same rumour as us. After about half an hour of sitting in wonder, a camera crew drove through and around the back of the school. We followed it and low and behold there were 100s more children all lined up waiting for His Holiness. An hour later, a handful of other tourists, claire and I had seen the Dalai Lama. We were within 2 meters of the man.

The reason why he had come to the school was to meet a man from Ireland called Richard Moore. Richard Moore was born in Derry during the troubles and was shot by a British solider between the eyes with a rubber bullet and was left blind. It was 1972 and Richard was 10 years old catholic boy on his way home from school. The Dalai Lama introduced Richard to the Tibetan kids and Richard told his life story. Its was an amazing story of how he had been shot and left blind and went on led a normal life as a publican, and how he then decided to sell his pubs to start a charity called Children in Crossfire. A few years back he met with the British solider and forgave him. He went on to say that forgiveness was what helped him through his disability. After Richard had finished his speech the Dalai Lama turned to Richard and said "You're my hero".

The story was brilliantly told with some welcomed Irish humour.

It was a genuine hour which reduced many to tears. Unforgettable!!!

Richard and His Holiness