As the North slides even more slowly towards a civil war scenario, I hope that one of my closest friends, the late Constable Steve Carroll, did not die in vain.
Tonight (January 14) in what will be a highly emotional evening, not just for me, but for all Steve's friends, colleagues and family, the Steve Carroll Foundation in memory of the first PSNI officer to be murdered by republican dissidents will be officially launched at Parliament Buildings, Stormont, by his widow, Kate.
Steve, aged only 48, was shot dead while on duty in Craigavon, Co Armagh, on 9 March, 2009, by the Continuity IRA. Two men are currently serving jail terms for his murder.
The new charity seeks to bring together children and young people from diverse backgrounds, not just in the North, but right across Ireland.
Given the recent TV footage beamed across the world of masked young people rioting in Belfast, the new Foundation will have its work cut out.
A senior loyalist source told me he wanted to see the infamous Battle of the Bogside, which was a key spark to the conflict, become the template for a new Battle of East Belfast.
This battle, he hoped, would become the trial run for creating such mayhem across the North, forcing First Minister Peter Robinson to resign, and collapsing Stormont.
How dissident republicans must be laughing at these loyalists doing their job for them.
Steve and Kate became firm friends during my time working in journalist training at the old Upper Bann Institute, affectionately known as Banbridge Tech.
Many an evening I spent at their home as we shared yarns and jokes. There was no talk of religion or politics; just plenty of social craic.
As I helped Kate with her launch speech for tonight, she told me: "I don't want my Steve to become yet another forgotten statistic.
"He was not just my soul mate and a terrific husband, son, father, grandfather, brother and family man, above all he was a terrific police officer, or to use some colloquialisms, he was the perfect peeler! The committed community copper!"
During those entertaining evenings at Steve's home, he would tell me of how he wanted to help children and young people.
For the sake of his memory and legacy, The Steve Carroll Foundation (SCF) must succeed. And that can only happen with community support.
Yes, there have been peace movements before in Ireland – and we still have rioting and terrorism. Those movements have come and gone. The SCF must never be killed off. We have a moral duty as a society to make this charity work.
Kate also told me: "My Christian faith has sustained me through the dark days – and there have been many, many dark days – since Steve's murder."
The Catholic religious order, the Jesuits, had a maxim – give me a child until he is seven, and I will give you the man.
If Irish society can use the SCF to influence our children from an early age, then just maybe we can build a community which will enjoy lasting peace on this island.
Kate has made no secret that she wants the SCF to promote equality and diversity, tolerance and mutual understanding across the community in the Northern Ireland and across the rest of the UK through active citizenship programmes delivered in schools, universities and community groups.
She also told me: "One of Steve's favourite quotations was from Mahatma Ghandi – 'if we are to teach real peace in this world and we are to carry on a real war against war, we shall have to begin with the children'.
As we formally launch The Steve Carroll Foundation tonight, I, too, appeal to our entire community to help us make this vision my friend Steve's lasting legacy on this island.
