People all over the world are probably rubbing their Irish eyes.

Monday, two leaders of the pitched battles that convulsed the Irelands for 40 years sat beside each other and agreed in principle to a power-sharing agreement that will create a unified government for Northern Ireland.

Indeed, the two were forced to meet. The people they lead were clamoring for it.

The two men were Ian Paisley, moderator of the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster and also head of the Demo-cratic Unionist Party, and Gerry Adams, long an Irish Republican Army operative and now head of Sinn Fein, once an IRA-affiliated terror outfit and now a political party.

These two bitter opponents, who nearly ruined their own country — more than 3,600 people died during the "troubles" — carried out their business at Stormont Castle in Belfast in a respectful and businesslike fashion. (They didn't shake hands, but that's OK.)

Afterward, in words very much unlike the unreasoning, wildfire demagoguery of the last four decades, Paisley and Adams said they had the dead in mind and promised in their names to work for the good of everyone, not just those in their parties. U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair welcomed it as "a very remarkable coming together."

That it was. This incredibly symbolic meeting was a triumph that may go down forever in Irish history. However, it was a mixed-up kind of triumph. Getting here wasn't easy.

Northern Ireland hasn't been governing itself for the last four-plus years. The power-sharing body so memorably cobbled together in the "Good Friday Agreement" of 1998, which outlined a handoff of power from London to a power-sharing body, fell apart in October 2002, and the U.K. government had to take over.

Monday was to be a fateful day. London had put all parties on notice that if the two sides did not agree to power-sharing by then, the whole experiment was over. That prospect turned people's hair white on both sides of the Irish Sea. Few wanted to return to the days of insane chaos.

Over the weekend, Paisley dithered, claiming he needed yet more time (yet more?) to prepare his Protestant followers for true power-sharing, as if the notion were something new. He got an extension until May 8 for the actual beginning of power-sharing, but in return he reportedly was compelled to meet with Adams.

The Irish knew it was time to come together long before their leaders would admit it: The world has changed. The Republic of Ireland is now the emerald of Europe, an economic success story born of patience, a national commitment to education (meaning taxes), and enlightened leadership.

Northern Ireland, hobbled by "the troubles," has not yet enjoyed the same degree of economic expansion. But the potential is there, if only the future can be allowed to begin.

There may be more wrong turns, more blocked doors. But as of Monday, there is cause for people everywhere who are Irish, or wish they were, to open their eyes and believe what they see.