Bermuda's Irish population are crossing their fingers in the hope that the momentous peace deal voted on last week will remain in place.

Expatriates from both the north and south are pleased at last weekend's vote to accept the tabled peace deal, but are mindful that there is a long way to go before there is a lasting agreement in the country.

A Bermuda resident for over 30 years, Alwyn McKittrick, 60, said he was overjoyed at the result but was still concerned that it could blow apart.

Mr. McKittrick -- a Protestant -- and his wife Una -- a Roman Catholic -- have special reason for praying the peace lasts.

In 1960 they fled their County Tyrone home as a young married couple to escape the possible trouble they could have encountered in the country.

"We had to get away, it could have been that bad,'' said Mr. McKittrick.

"There are people who survived but do you want to do that?'' They came to Bermuda as teachers and brought up their five children away from the troubles. Now they are reaching retirement, the prospect of peace could make any possible return home an easier decision to make, he said.

He is now hoping that the young people in Ireland will carry the torch and make some of the older people realise that their time is up.

"This is a big moment that has to be grasped,'' he said.

Someone who has a more recent memory of the troubles is Dr. Conor Ryan, who practises in Hamilton.

Dr. Ryan, who arrived in Bermuda three years ago, said he was pleased at the vote but was also concerned that a significant minority were against the peace deal.

He said the problems could arise in the long term when both groups, from the north and south, and within those areas, perceive what they believe the agreement means for them.

A Dublin resident, he said everybody in the south would like to see a united Ireland but in the first place they would like to see a peace agreement work.

But Dr. Ryan agreed with Mr. McKittrick that the fact that the vote had taken place was a landmark for the country.

He said: "I didn't even think that it would get to this point. It is encouraging that it is reached this stage, but nobody can be totally optimistic about it.''