Dedicated to human rights and social change, the Pat Finucane center is currently focused on working with the Police Ombudsman, the High Commission for Human Rights, and various other agencies and organizations to help the families of relatives that died at the hands British police forces.  Named after a lawyer who famously advocated for Nationalist victims of the conflict, this work continues here in his name.  Though at times difficult, people like Paul O’Connor work to find the truth for families who only know that their loved one left the house one day and never came home.  Every person working at the Center lost a loved one during the conflict and it is their purpose to continue to seek truth for other individuals like themselves.

After this sobering discussion of human rights and truth commissions, Jon decided to lead our group on to An Grianán Ailigh, a 12th-century stone fort of the O’Neill family from North of Ireland.  Located five minutes from Derry in the Republic, the stone ring offers a breathtaking view of four counties, including Londonderry, Donegal, Tyrone, and Fermanagh.  As we quietly walked up the stairs and around the top, circular perimeter of the ring, we were each again struck by the beauty of this island while an invigorating wind whipped across our cheeks.  Feeling the history of the place seep in with the cold air, it was clear why people of this country carry so much passion in their hearts for this land.

It was also a surreal and perfect setting for Jon to then open up to us about his personal narrative and how he came to be involved in the IRA.  Sitting atop the stone ring, under an iridescent blue sky, we listened as Jon told us of his youth and his first steps into this conflict. 

Born to a Catholic mother and an absent Protestant father, Jon grew up in a boy’s home on the Bogside.  Quite successful, by secondary school he had secured a place at University for a degree in Engineering with a guaranteed job beyond.  One day, with a protestant friend, he headed toward the city centre to see about a civil rights march scheduled to take place.  It was a rowdy gathering and Jon’s friend decided to leave—Jon would not see him again for thirty five years.

It was at this march that an idea came to be born that hit him “like a bolt of lightning.”  For on that day, he heard from Catholic marchers that the majority Protestant Corporation refused to build housing to accommodate the growing Catholic population because a house meant a vote and Catholic votes meant the end of the Protestant majority in the government.

Struck immobile, understanding took hold of Jon as he realized that his Catholic mother had been forced to send him to a boys’ home because she was unable to obtain her own home.  His entire existence has been altered because of this clear discrimination by the Protestant government.  Almost immediately, Jon gave up his future and the life he had built to join the IRA.  It took many years and the realization that he “had buried too many friends” before he found a non-violent way to deal with such injustices.

Walking slowly down the ring steps and back to the car, our group quietly found our seats and drove back to Derry to the strains of Black 47’s “James Connolly.”  It was difficult to swallow what it must have felt like to realize one’s entire life had been so unknowingly changed by discrimination.  In this somber mood, we moved on to the cemetery at St. Mary’s in the Bogside and viewed the graves of those who died on Bloody Sunday, as well as throughout the conflict.  It was touching to walk with Jon through the gravestones and hear him point out certain people and reminisce about funny moments with his old friends.  It was a touch of humor during a moving and poignant day.

Heading back to Derry’s city centre, we proceeded to the One World Centre, which is the headquarters of SEEDS (Solidarity, Equality, Education, Diversity, Support).  The SEEDS organization works on what it perceives to be the next challenge for Northern Ireland—racism against asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants moving to this country now in a fragile peacetime.  Meeting with the director of the One World Centre, Eddie Kerr, we learned more about this new problem facing them and what attempts are being made to help this influx of people seeking a better life.  From English language tutoring and help with accommodations to education against prejudice and racial attacks, SEEDS is committed to keeping the people of Northern Ireland from replacing sectarian violence with racial violence.  It is a double-edged sword for this country that as they close one period of focused violence they find themselves faced with what they perceive to be new problems, yet sadly reflect what occurs in every country across the globe.

“Racism is the new sectarianism [in Northern Ireland].” –Eddie Kerr

Following this great man along the road from our hostel to the old, stone walls of the city center, we listened to the unique tale of this magical place and its founding.  From the story of the plantation of Protestant families in Derry, to the Siege of Derry and the Apprentice Boys’ closing of the gates, through the gerrymandering and discrimination practices of the Corporation, we were a group touched by the intimate history of those stones.  The pain of the many communities living in and around Derry became more apparent as we stood high on these walls of the city and stared at the peace wall (interface) separating and isolating the Protestant “Fountain Estate” and then moved to another view of those 25 ft murals produced by the Bogside Artists in the Catholic community of the Bogside.

It was from this tour of the walled city that the group then walked to the Bogside for a closer view of this People’s Gallery, truly “a window into the heart of the Bogside and its people.”  From the mural of Annette McGavigan, a young school girl killed by the British Army, to a mural of Bloody Sunday, including Jon’s image confirming his presence there that day, these images live as reminders of the cost of the conflict and the continued importance of dialogue.  It is here that the reality of this conflict becomes truly difficult to understand and process.

There are not sufficient words to describe the next moments of this trip, as Jon took us through his very personal perspective of Bloody Sunday.  Having been present that day and a part of a group that included several of the men shot and killed, it was an emotional journey we walked with him.  Suffice it to say, we watched a man relive the horror of the memory and we felt the quiet and the cold of his still raw grief. 

How does one put into words what a man of seventeen must have felt to watch innocent young friends die when an army chose to shoot live rounds into a crowd of peaceful demonstrators searching for equal rights?

Dazed, the group then stepped into the Bloody Sunday Center/John Kelly Museum of Free Derry and spoke with John Kelly about the museum and his brother, Michael, who was killed that day.  To an audio recording of Bloody Sunday, we walked through the rooms and viewed artifacts, photos, and video archives from this violent that still echoes in this small community.  One of the most moving items was a jacket worn by Jim Wray, a young man killed in those eighteen minutes that the violence lasted.  Encased in glass, there it lay with two clearly visible bullet holes in the back.

Whether we acknowledge it or not, we who come from a privileged society live with an invisible line in our mind that tells us where we believe human beings will not tread, what is out of bounds and unacceptable.  We think that life and our fellow man will know this boundary and respect it.  But human beings commit terrible atrocities against each other and we cannot always remain in the comfort of this place, tucked behind this line, believing these things cannot possibly happen.  We were uncomfortable today because we were starkly reminded that such a line is easily erased with very little reason.  But we were also reminded, in the everyday actions of people like Jon, of the importance in remembering our humanity even in the face of those we do not understand, for the terrible price paid by everyone when we disregard this line, this sanctity of life, is more than just tears.

Quote of the Day: “I do not know where flowers come from on a Sunday afternoon.” –Jon McCourt

Saturday morning found our group enjoying yet another sunny day as we all prepared to depart for Derry on Sunday.  Students took some time to walk around the Belfast city centre, take care of laundry, and pack up luggage for our next stop on the study trip. 

The afternoon brought everyone to the Somme Heritage Center in Bangor, approximately 13 miles outside of Belfast.  Dr. Novosel’s acquaintances from Wildwood helped drive the group over to the center, where students found themselves in a wonderfully interactive museum dedicated to understanding the Battle of the Somme.  As the Center indicates in their community relations bulletin, it is dedicated to helping all understand this important time in Northern Irish history for both Republican and Unionist communities.  The significant impact of the 36^th Ulster division and the 16^th Irish division on this historical battle and their fighting side by side offers a clear example of the shared history of these communities.  It is a shared history that must be highlighted so that the parents and children of Northern Ireland can be proud of their heritage while understanding the connection it makes between each community.

With the sun peeking through scattered clouds, the group gathered on Sunday morning for a ride up to Derry on the “Paddywagon.”  Beginning with our driver and his penchant for singing between his narratives on Irish history, we knew it would be a fantastic day.  Indeed, by the end we were all out of appropriate adjectives to describe the beauty.  In this same vein, one must look at the pictures to really understand how we spent the day.

Our first stop was the Carrick-on-Rede rope bridge, which began with a short trek out to the bridge and its connecting island.  One would have thought the group transplanted to the Caribbean isles— turquoise water and white sandy beaches are quite unexpected in this part of the world.  Most of the students   made their way across the bridge and managed to take pictures of each other pointing to the just visible tip of Scotland in the distance.

Then it was another twenty minutes along the Northern coast to Giant’s Causeway, a site so beautiful and surreal that one begins to believe in the legend of Finn McCool.   Sheer cliffs of green and more turquoise water surround a stacked cluster of pillars alleged to have led directly to Scotland and still mirrored there in its own stepping stone rocks.  The group had a marvelous time walking along this natural wonder, exploring the tide pools of shellfish, and enjoying the serene beauty of gently lapping waves on a cloudless, bright day.   As the bus pulled away, we sat in silence listening to the strains of our driver singing “Caledonia.”

After a quick pause to take in the view of Dunluce Castle from the bus, it was on to Derry.  Once arrived, we found ourselves in a tri-colored hostel, unpacking and settling in to the rooms.  Before heading off to dinner, the group met with Jon McCourt to review the scheduled activities and discuss his expectations for us in regards to the next three days.  A local Derryman and an immensely impressive individual, John will be our guide and leader over the next days in this pastoral northern city.

Quote of the Day:

I don’t know if you can see the changes that have come over me.

In these last few days I’ve been afraid that I might drift away.          

I’ve been telling old stories, singing songs that make me think about where I come from.

That’s the reason why I seem so far away today…

Now I have moved and kept on moving, proved the points that I needed proving,

Lost the friends that I needed losing, found others on the way.

I have kissed the lads and left them crying, stolen dreams, yes there’s no denying,

I have travelled hard sometimes with conscience flying, somewhere in the wind.

                                                                                                          -from “Caledonia”

Today started early after a quick breakfast.  The groups took taxis to Mt. Vernon Community Centre to meet with Billy Hutchinson, a former UVF prisoner, signatory to the Good Friday Agreement and now a community worker in Mt. Vernon.  We arrived late because of the traffic, and Billy “slagged” (gave us a hard time, jokingly) for being Americans and being late.  (All in good fun.)  We immediately went out with him to talk walk about Mt. Vernon and view the work he and the community have done there. Mt. Vernon is one of the most disadvantaged sections of Belfast, but in the heart of it you would not know this, because of the work done there.  Lisa Monahan, who worked in Tigers Bay in North Belfast remarked on the difference between the two.  Billy took us to two areas in particular to show us how the community turned a wasteland in the heart of the area, into a small park with benches and a clock in the middle.  He also showed us a hydroponic garden in the community that is in the experimental stage.  We then went to view a new memorial garden in the heart of Mt. Vernon, a staunchly Loyalist area, where the 16^th Irish and the 36 Ulsters are remembered for their sacrifices at the Somme (1916) and Messines (1917) when they fought together.   In this garden, the community also erected a memorial to the youngest victim of the Great War, John Condon, a Catholic and Billy McFadzean, a Protestant who won a VC at the Somme.   Billy went out of his way to make sure that we did not just see the good.  He took us into an alleyway that the UVF used for punishment beatings and shootings and described an ongoing conflict over a killing that took place a few years ago. 

We then went back to the Community Centre where Billy then spent another hour with the students talking, in particular, about the work that he and the Community are doing. Amanda, a local woman, joined us and explained her work to us.  The most interesting part of the discussion here was the work that the community is doing to transform Mt. Vernon and open the community to everyone. 

The talk then shifted to how Billy became involved in the conflict and what led him into his work to end the conflict and also transform the larger society.  He talked about his imprisonment, the issue of political status and the work that the Republican and Loyalist prisoners did together through the Camp Council.  He made two very interesting points. He described the real story behind the introduction of “Special Category Status,” and also told about how he could have been released early under paroled but refused that as he considered himself a “political prisoner.”  The State added 5 years to his sentence, but he was released in 14 months, under a deal negotiated by the prisoners, on both sides, and the state.   This is all too long to go into here. But, it was a great conversation and gave the students a great insight into Billy. 

At the end of the meeting, Billy invited the students to come back to Mt. Vernon before they went home. So, we made arrangements to go back to Mt. Vernon next Thursday and meet with Billy and also William Mitchell, who is doing serious research on the UVF and also working with Restorative Justice in North Belfast.

We gave the students a break for lunch in town after that.  Then at 2:15 we met in the City Centre to walk to the Job Centre to meet Harry Donaghy, a former Official IRA Volunteer. Harry now works on the Messines Project, (messinesassociation.org)  a project that brings adults from both communities together to talk visit the Somme and Messines to discuss the common history of both communities in Northern Ireland.  Harry spent an hour and a half with the students.  He explained what he did and the goals of the project, which was to unite the communities, and how they did this.  Like Billy, Harry explained how he became involved in the armed struggle and his prison experience.  He provided further insight into the Camp Council of Long Kesh by describing how it worked.  He also told a story about the only day that Ian Paisley visited Long Kesh. Harry told how, as he watched from Cage 20, Gusty Spence put the UVF on parade in full dress, in Cage 19 and as Paisley passed by he turned to his men pointed to Paisley, and said “If you want to know why you are here, just look over there men.”  He also talked about the same story on “special category status” as Billy had earlier in the day. 

We then retired to the John Hewitt, a very famous “social enterprise,” named after a famous Belfast poet.  Harry wanted to show the students this, as this is a place where many political and historical discussions take place as many ex-prisoners and activists congregate there.  While there, Brendan and Charlie, two of the trustees there, came over and talked to the students.  They then brought out the “Pipes of Peace,” so the students could be photographed with them outside the John Hewitt. (See Ric’s Photos)  Gerry Adams of Sinn Fein, Gusty Spence (UVF) donated their pipes and wrote a note in honor of David Ervine (former UVF and PUP).  Jeannette, David’s widow donated one of his pipes.  They were mounted and auctioned in March for 6600 GBP and will be hung in the Hewitt on May 20. The Hewitt requested a copy of the photos to use on their website. 

Quote of the Day:  “Our goal now is to create a peaceful and normal society.  What form of society that will emerge out of that we will worry about later.  The important point now is to make sure we live in peace.” Harry Donaghy

Once arrived at the school, we were led to an assembly that centered on the school’s latest assessments.  The group was lucky enough to greet the Lord Mayor of Belfast, as he chose that day to attend the assembly and speak to the staff and students about their wonderful achievements.  After this initial assembly, the group met Andy McMorran, the school’s principal, who took some time to talk with us about several key points regarding the school.  Specifically, we discussed the student population and their experiences as they grow up in the very poorest areas of Belfast, the strides the school has made over the years to better serve these students, and the hope that now exists for their future. 

After we spoke with Mr. McMorran, our group found itself in another assembly where the 10^th form (the 14yr age group) waited to speak with us.   Dr. Novosel and the Pitt students went on to participate in a lively discussion with these high schools boys.  The questions and answers centered around the divide that still exists between Catholics and Protestants, as well as how these young men can and must work to remain proud of their heritage while still cultivating friendships from other backgrounds and faiths.  This second assembly was then followed by individual visits to various classrooms in session.  Our group used this time to talk to the teachers in the school and have more intimate question and answer sessions with the students.  Everyone came away with the sense that the continuation of the peace agreement must really begin with these youths and healing those scars they have inherited from the narratives of their parents.

After quite an intense morning, our next stop was a little fish and chips shop in East Belfast named “For Cod and Ulster.”  How could we resist a stop?  Many of the student purchased t-shirts and the owner took a picture of our group in front of the store.  He even closed the metal door to show what passersby see when they walk by during closing hours—Ian Paisley and Gerry Adams pronouncing that “the best chippies in Northern Ireland—at least we can agree on that!”  A clear example of how these Northern Irish people have coped with such a long conflict and intense heartache: humor.

After this more relaxed stop, the group moved on to a visit with the Orange Order at Schomberg House, also located in East Belfast.  After a presentation regarding this organization and its long history with the Protestant/Unionist community, the students asked many questions, including some related to their parade practices and new directions for the organization.  The highlight of the visit was a picture with the Order’s latest public relations campaign—“Diamond Dan” is the new face (superhero) of the Order and dedicated to educating children about their heritage in a healthy manner.  One must look at the group’s various pictures with Diamond Dan to get a sense of the hilarity.

Finished with our visit at the Orange Order, the group continued their day in East Belfast with a powerful visit to the Raven Social Club.  Not a place open to many, if any, visitors, we felt a keen sense of gratitude and extreme appreciation for this entry into David Ervine’s local club.  Meeting with his widow, Mrs. Jeanette Ervine, the students had a wonderfully intimate opportunity to speak with and hear from her as she shared such unique and personal stories about David Ervine as how they first met.  It was an incredibly touching and poignant moment for us all and one that will not soon be forgotten by any.  Mrs. Ervine brought out laughter and tears with her quiet and beautiful anecdotes and “yarns.”

It was with this emotional moment that we ended our Thursday in this lovely city.  We are on to Mt. Vernon tomorrow to continue our firsthand and uniquely accessible look at Northern Ireland.

Quote of the Day: “People stopping and saying what they thought of him, the man, and I could have said ’yes I already knew that, I knew the man-I knew what he was’.” -Jeanette Ervine speaking about her husband, David

Beginning with a taxi ride to the headquarters of the Ex-Prisoners Interpretive Center (EPIC) on the Shankill road, a Protestant enclave/community located in West Belfast, the students were met by Tom Roberts, William “Plum” Smith, and Tom Winston.  These men, all of them ex-Ulster Volunteer Force members and ex-prisoners of Long Kesh, spent the morning with the students.  They discussed their time in the prison, which guided them to their work with conflict resolution, peace building in their community, and restorative justice programs focused on preventing youth criminality.  The men were direct, straightforward, and frank in their discussion of the Unionist/Loyalist perspective, the fiery “blood and thunder” street rallies of Ian Paisley and his selfish political agenda, and their own self-reflection in prison that helped them move beyond violence to a focus on peace.  As they put it, they chose to show “their warts and all” to the group. 

After this morning discussion, the group and all of the men sat down to lunch at the Farset International Hostel.  Over the meal, the group heard more from each man regarding their personal experiences during the conflict.  It struck everyone how thoughtful and compelling it was to hear this candid story from a perspective little heard from in the United States.  The ideas regarding Protestant politicians’ treatment and manipulation of the working class Unionist/Loyalist community in Belfast made it clear to everyone that this was a side of the conflict that should be and must be acknowledged.

Once finished with lunch, our group met up with Noel Large, another former UVF member and ex-prisoner, who led the group down a tour of the Shankill.  As the group passed murals depicting the Queen, interfaces separating the Protestant and Catholic communities in the area, and street after street of social housing highlighting the poor conditions of this community, Noel gave further details regarding the history of the conflict in the Protestant community, touched on the issue of subservience amongst this working class group, and their work towards a peaceful country for all citizens whether as a united Ireland or not.  Noel’s tour ended in a memorial garden dedicated to those men of Ulster who fought at the Battle of the Somme and at which time he told us a powerful story of their sacrifice in this battle.  We came to understand how a community could believe themselves to be both Irish and British and wish to remain so connected to a country for which their loved ones gave their lives.

Moving away from the Shankill, the group met up with Sean Brennan from Intercomm for a walk back to their offices in North Belfast.  Once arrived, the students discussed their experiences over the last two days, including a comparison of the oft heard Republican viewpoint and the lesser if unknown Unionist perspective of the conflict.  It became apparent how necessary it was for the group to engage in this discussion in order to begin to process the two sides of the conflict and how each community differed and mirrored each other.

Finally, the group wrapped up the day with a lecture by Graham Walker, a political scientist and professor at Queen’s University Belfast.  In honor of the ten year anniversary of the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement, Mr. Walker outlined the history of the previous peace agreements and went on to discuss the positive and negative aspects of this latest agreement, one that has allowed a fragile peace to exist into the new millennium.  This final discussion of the day and the activities of the last two days reminded us all how far this country has moved forward and yet still remains in a tenuous balance of tension and hope.

Quote of the Day: “I don’t want to wake up every morning and ask myself am I British or Irish? I want to think ‘Am I late for work?’” -David Ervine 

Suffice it to say, words do not really do justice to the powerful experience our group had as we heard a direct, thoughtful, and detailed narrative of a much lesser known perspective of this conflict.  It is a lesson to us all that there are always two sides to every argument and who are we to judge what we have not experienced for ourselves.  Thank you to Tom Roberts, William “Plum” Smith, Tom Winston and Noel Large for taking their time to tell us about their personal experiences from this period in Northern Ireland, as well as discuss their meaningful work with community centers, restorative justice programs, and conflict transformation/peace building.

Again, the author apologizes and please look for a more detailed entry soon.

Our day began with an early breakfast at Stranmillis University College before meeting the waiting taxis at the front gate.  We called ahead because only certain drivers will take people to our stop for today, the Falls road in West Belfast and a 100% Catholic community.  Tomorrow we will visit Shankill road, the protestant neighborhood residing literally a stones throw from the Falls, but an unmeasurable distance away in idealogy regarding this conflict.

On our arrival at Divis Flats (now Towers), we began our tour with Séan Mac Bradaigh of the Coiste organization.  Coiste is an anti-unionist, socialist organization dedicated to moving the peace process towards a united Ireland.  Mr. Mac Bradaigh began by pointing up to the eleventh and twelfth floors of the Divis flats, which the British army occupied to better monitor and control the Falls road during the outbreaks of violence.  Following, Mr. Mac Bradaigh’s lead, we proceeded to make our way up the Falls road and listen as he recounted the history of this Catholic community in Belfast. 

Along the way, we stared at the stark, striking murals dedicated to Bobby Sands, Frederick Douglass, and the hunger strikes of the seventies and eighties, each a romanticized representation of those people and slogans still so meaningful to this community.  The group stood in the many memorial gardens dedicated to those men, women, and children who died during the conflicts, members of the IRA or civilians, struggling against what is now being referred to as “ethnic cleansing” in the Republican/Nationalist community.  We stopped in at a museum dedicated to women held in the Armagh Women’s Prison and watched a video clip produced by Cloiste portraying the more violent moments in West Belfast.  Our walking tour of the Falls road ended at the Milltown Cemetery, where the group stood at the grave of Bobby Sands and the rest of the men who perished in the hunger strikes and then listened as Mr. Mac Bradaigh paraphrased the Irish Proclamation of Independence carved in marble behind their headstones.

After the walk, the group headed to the Felons Club.  Just as it sounds, only ex-prisoners can belong to the club and we were extremely lucky to be allowed inside.  We were met by Pádraic McCotter, an IRA ex-prisoner.  Mr. McCotter was in Long Kesh Prison for fiteen years and agreed to meet with our group and talk about his time in the IRA, in Long Kesh, and answer questions about the current state of the Northern Ireland peace process.  Over soup and sandwiches, Mr. McCotter shared his personal experiences during the conflict years, including his part in the blanket strikes and the life he lead in the H-blocks during his many years of incarceration.  It will remain a powerful experience for all of us.

The evening ended with another beginning, to consider the Unionist/Loyalist narrative.  Roy Garland, a journalist for the nationalist Irish News and member of the Ulster Unionist Party, began this discussion around the Shankill road community of protestants, the Orange Order marches, and the St. Andrews’ Agreement.  Mr. Garland opened the door for us to start to examine where this community now finds itself in the peace process.  Our group looks forward to a closer discussion surrounding this lesser known narrative of Northern Ireland.

Quote of the Day: “Our revenge will be the laughter of our children.” -Bobby Sands, as seen on a mural along the Falls Road in West Belfast.