Home Again!

Our day began very early... We departed for Dublin Airport at 5 AM! Ms. Duarte said goodbye to us, because she was staying in Ireland for a few extra days, and we were on our way with Mr. Bizga. After several hours, our driver woke us up to inform us that we had arrived at the airport. After a hour or so we were checked in and ready to go back home.

Our journey home was smoothe until we reached New York to find out that our flight to Cleveland had been cancelled! Delta offered to fly us to Columbus - but I did not accept this offer. We had round trip tickets to Cleveland and to Cleveland we were going! After some negociation, we were rebooked on Continental Airlines for Cleveland. Our transfer to Continental was relatively smoothe (if you do not consider the NYC airport transfer, taxis, or baggage problems!).
We arrived in Cleveland safe and sound Friday evening. The students were greeted enthusiasticallyby their parents. It was a scene right out of the opening of Love Actually...




Our time in Northern Ireland was amazing and is truly hard to put into words. The success of the peace process there is a model for the world. Whatever the poltical arrangement is in the future is for the people of Northern Ireland alone to determine. It was a honor to spend time with them.

Peace,
Mr. Bizga

Like sands in the hour glass...

Upon our return to Belfast our sense of time became compressed. Hours passed like minutes and it was clear that our departure from Northern Ireland was immanent. In the afternoon, we watched the film H3. The film was followed by an academic session on the impact of the Hunger Strikes on the Irish Peace Process with some key figures from those events participating in a panel discussion. Immediately after our session we departed for dinner. Gina's parents arrived in from Cork and joined us that evening. After dinner we returned to Queen's to begin packing and many students were working on finishing their final assignments.




Our final day was filled with many goodbye's, last minute shopping trips, and packing. The hightlight of the day was definately our going away dinner. We returned to Deane's Deli - where we had began our time together in Belfast. We shared an amazing dinner and the great company of some friends from Belfast who helped make our experience so rich. In addition, we were joined at Deane's by the O'Riordan family, McDonald familiy, and Ms. Duarte's son Gabriel. After dinner Gina & Connor were off with their families to continue their European travels, while the rest of the group returned to Queen's.





Click here to see more pictures from our dinner

A Day at the Monastery

Our correspondent today is Katie Marini:

Today was by far, one of the highlights of the trip thus far. We started of the day by getting a knock at our door at seven o’clock in the morning, leaving us 45 minutes to get ready and grab a quick bite to eat. After breakfast, we made our way from Dublin to the Holy Cross Monastery, home to the Benedictine monks in Rostrevor. Our monk, Thierry, introduced himself to the group and led us to the chapel, where mass was held. Mass was very different from what we are used to back in the states. For example, the mass was comprised of many different songs chanted in Latin. After mass, we were assigned to our rooms, where we were able to get settled, and make our way downstairs to officially begin our silent retreat.

Fr. Thierry suggested we think about who we are as people and listen to ourselves as well as others. Believe it or not, we all learned that though we may not recognize it, God is always talking to us through others. When we had free time, Thierry gave us a printed copy of his homily, which dealt with listening before getting the chance to speak. This is one of the key concepts at the monastery, not speaking unless absolutely necessary. During my free time, I walked around the beautiful grounds of the monastery. This gave me the opportunity to think about who I am as a person. One thing that has also troubled me is the fact that when praying, I feel as though God never talks back. People always hear about those you have directly heard the voice of God, or have received some sort of spiritual revelation throughout their lifetime. I, on the other hand, have never experienced anything of the sort. However, after having free time to reflect and think things over, I came to a very important realization. I learned that God does talk to me. In fact, he talks to me every day, every second of my life. My life, on the other hand, is so hectic. Therefore, I never take the time to listen to all that God has to say.

When first going on the retreat, I was very apprehensive to the whole idea of being silent for twenty hours. However, after completing the retreat, I had a different perspective on the meaning of silence. Silence is so much more than just not talking. It is about personal reflection and taking the time to learn more about oneself. Before the retreat, I was ashamed to admit that my family and friends knew more about me than I knew about myself. However, the Benedictine monks exposed me to the fact that so much can be said and learned without speaking a single word.

After taking some time for personal reflection, we made our way to lunch (which consisted of salad, ham, fries, and apple pie), which was by far the most difficult part of the day. It was so hard to sit with everyone in the group without conversing or striking a quick smile. It was even more difficult when I decided to taste the mustard (which was not your typical mustard… it was EXTREMELY spicy English mustard). The mustard was so spicy, it actually made me cry because it went up my noise and burned my mouth as it made its way down my throat. Ironically, everyone found it quite humorous, almost to the point where it was very difficult to keep a straight face at the table. However, we all made it through and continued on with our silent retreat. After lunch, we were given about an hour down time, where people were given the choice to either take a quick nap or do some more personal reflection. I personally chose to take a quick nap, which was a terrible mistake because it made me even more tired. After having some down time, we had another prayer service where we stated some intentions and sang more psalms. The voices of the monks are sounds that will always stick with me. The pitch and harmony of the voices made the sound so peaceful and serene. After the prayer service, we were told to hold twenty minutes of silence while in the chapel. At first, I was not too ecstatic about sitting in church doing nothing, especially after I had just prayed during the prayer service. However, I came to realize that I had so much to say and so much to pray for. For me, silence was burdensome and awkward. Yet as the retreat progressed, silence became more of a gift than a burden. It was so nice to have that silence in my life, not having to worry about school, college applications, athletics, or any other aspects of my life. I just sat there, thanking God for all that I have, instead of being bitter about the things that I do not have. To me, this is a key part of prayer and life in general; simply, being thankful for all that one has.

After prayer, we made our way to dinner, which was surprisingly easier for everyone to handle, unlike lunch. Everyone sat and peacefully enjoyed their dinner, which consisted of quiche, coleslaw, salad, and cake (along with some yogurt). We then made our way to the final prayer service, which again consisted of the singing of psalms and coming together as a community. One would think that going to prayer services four times a day would be unappealing or burdensome; however, most of us looked forward to the prayer services because it was something different. After a long day at the monastery, we made our way to bed at around 10:00. This was such a relief for everyone in the group because most of us had forgotten that it was possible to go to bed that early and get that much sleep…who would have thought? As stated before, today was one of the many highlights of the trip because I learned so much about myself, as well as the others traveling with me. To me, it is so amazing to know that one can strengthen and mold relationships without even talking. For the first time in my life, I truly understood the meaning behind the statement, “Silence is golden.”


And remember, as stated by Fr. Thierry, “God does not love you more when you are good. God does not love you less when you are bad. God just simply loves you.”



Click here to see pictures from our retreat

The Dublin Experience

Our Corresponent today is Jacob Clark:

Our day began at 8:00 A.M. when Mr. Bizga awakened the guys with a loud knock on the hostel room door. The four of us struggled through our sleepiness to get ready for the day, and we eventually made our way downstairs to meet the girls and have breakfast. We quickly ate a simple meal of toast, and we headed off to Christchurch Cathedral with Ms. Duarte. Unfortunately, Christchurch was closed, so we decided to take the opportunity to walk around the city to shop. We all stayed in one group, except for Sarah who still with her parents. Her birthday was on Sunday, so she and her parents stayed in a hotel and spent time together. The remaining eight students and Ms. Duarte eventually met Mr. Bizga at the theater as he picked up the tickets for us to attend “Riverdance” later in the day. We subsequently walked through a garden that had a pond area that was full of various birds. Everyone has been shocked by the amount of seagulls on the island. After our walk, we went on a “hop on, hop off” tour bus that we could use for transportation throughout the day. We took the bus to the Guinness Storehouse, and Mr. Bizga took us inside for a tour. The company’s profound success in marketing and advertising is extremely fascinating. The company is well-known and associated with Ireland. I enjoyed looking at the displays of their past advertisements. We took many photographs of the signs, and we went to the top of the building, which serves as an observation tower. On a nice day like today, people are able to see much of the city through this glass enclosure. Afterward, we got back on a tour bus and traveled through part of the city. We were able to take pictures of many of the memorials throughout the area. We eventually got off of the bus and walked to a Jesuit high school. The school was interesting, and we realized that the seal on the gates of the school was the same seal used by Ignatius High School in Cleveland. We then split into groups for shopping, and we met at Luigi Malone’s for dinner again.

The food at Luigi Malone’s is amazing, and I am glad that we went there a second time. Despite being costly by American standards, it is seemingly inexpensive because almost everything in Dublin is overpriced. After dinner, we were able to relax. Some of us called home, and then we all prepared ourselves for the performance of “Riverdance.” We enjoyed the performance, which included dancing and singing to traditional Irish music. We were all impressed by the performance—even I was impressed, which is surprising because I am typically not wild about such events. Afterward, we walked back to our lodging at the Kinlay Hostel. Mr. Bizga went to meet a friend from Cleveland, while we stopped for a few minutes at a crepe shop to get a snack before going to bed. We had fun watching everyone near the crepe shop. Not only was a band playing music nearby, but there was also an inebriated trio of two men and a woman who somehow managed to throw a shoe onto the top of a store sign and then proceeded to get into a verbal altercation with the Garda, the Republic’s police force. The situation was quite interesting (and entertaining), but we had to get back to the hostel in order to get up at 7:00 A.M. to head off to the Rostrevor Benedictine Monastery for a spiritual retreat. Back at the hostel, we checked our e-mails from the hostel’s computers, and we went to our rooms. On our way up to we met a group of Germans, two of whom were quite talkative. We talked in the hallway, and shortly after Mr. Bizga returned, he talked to them in German and took a couple of pictures of the six of us. Soon we were off to bed, dreading the all too soon 7:00 A.M. wakeup time.

Jacob

Here is the link to our Dublin photos:

An incredible day in Dublin, Ireland

Our correspondent today is Sarah Pinter:

We got up bright and early to take a bus to Dublin, about a two hours’ ride south through the verdant Irish countryside. It was kind of weird having our passports checked at the border. It’s easy to forget that Northern Ireland and the Republic are separate countries; even though that is the subject of our studies! We trekked a few blocks through the streets of Dublin (after stopping for coffee, of course) and eventually arrived at our hostel, Kinlay House. We dropped off our luggage, and then we proceeded to Liguori House, a Redemptorist enclave, where we met the man who brought peace to Northern Ireland.

If you combined Gandalf, Gandhi, and God, you might end up with someone like Father Alec Reid, who we met today. Originally from Clonard Monastery, Fr. Reid orchestrated the peace process in Northern Ireland, particularly in terms of ending violence within the nationalist community. He has saved many lives and arranged dialogue between Gerry Adams (Sinn Fein) and John Hume (SDLP). In short, the peace process in Northern Ireland, which he called a miracle, would not have been possible without his guidance.

Despite his colossal importance in Northern Ireland’s history, Fr. Reid is an unassuming man of incredible humility. He was very hospitable, offering us coffee and posing for dozens of photos. He gave us a detailed description of the peace process and stressed that dialogue, not armed conflict, is the only way to establish a just and lasting peace. One of the things that struck me most about him was his modesty. During his conversation with us, he almost never mentioned himself; he spent most of the time telling stories about Gerry Adams and other people involved in the peace process. He was tired by the end of our time together, but he nevertheless agreed to stand for photos with all of us in the beautiful rose garden outside. He even wished me a happy birthday. (I turned eighteen in Ireland; how cool is that?)

We then returned to Kinlay House, where a surprise was waiting for me. My parents had come to Ireland for my birthday. I was so surprised and delighted to see them. They had been in contact with Mr. Bizga for months. Everyone knew about it but me. They were also shocked that I hadn’t figured it out. I don’t know why they thought that. I’ve never figured out a surprise in my life, making me the ideal target for unexpected parties and the like.

After that, we went shopping for a while. I proceeded to blow my €50 food stipend on shopping (good thing my parents showed up for my birthday). The shopping in Dublin is infinitely better than in Belfast, to everyone’s delight. We got to see the bar Bono owns. The bartender told us we had just missed REM by like ten minutes. We told everyone we had seen them anyway. We had an early dinner at Luigi Malone’s, and then we went on a literary pub-crawl, exploring pubs connected with Irish writers like Joyce, Shaw, Yeats, and Pearce. Don’t worry, Fr. Marco, no drinking was involved, just good plain literature.

After the tour, we said goodnight. The group returned to their hostel, and I went to the Westin with my parents. Needless to say, it was the best sleep I’ve had in three weeks.

All the best!
Sarah

Here is the link to our Dublin photos!

Hello!

We have been quite busy the last couple of days! Here is a brief outline of what we did on Friday. We visited...

• A rope bridge
  
• Giant's Causeway
• Bushmills Distillery
  
• Dunluce Castle
• an Orange bonfire.

Today we...

• went to observe an Orange march
• visited the Catholic community across from the bonfire we observed to get their reaction
  
• went to Mass
• packed for Dublin!

Over the next couple of days we...

• will visit Dublin
• will meet Fr. Alex Reid - the man behind the Irish Peace Process
  
• will go to Riverdance
• will enjoy ourselves immensely
  
• will make a retreat at Rostreaver Monastery.

So we will be busy for the next couple days and may not be able to update till we return to Belfast. But, we are not quite sure so keep checking!

Thank you for posting comments; we love to hear from you. If you have not commented, it is not too late!

You will be hearing from us soon...

Peace,
Mr. Dan Bizga

Here are some pictures from Friday!

The 11th of July

Today's Correspondent is Connor McDonald:


Waking up was no easy task. I rubbed my eyes, threw my contacts in, and looked hard into the mirror. I was tired and needed a quick shower as well as more sleep. I realized today was the 11th and today the Protestant/Unionist/Loyalist festivities were to begin. Before all of that though I was reminded of the main event. Today was the day in which we were to make our way to Giants' Causeway.

We all climbed into the bus and found out that though the scenic route took longer it was well worth it. Although the ride took a several hours, with well-seasoned stops it was entirely enjoyable. The first stop was in a small seaside town where we took a break and ran along the beach. I commented that the beaches are bigger and much nicer than those back home. The tide was far out and everything seemed very grand. It was the Ireland we all had envisioned in our minds, yet it looked eerily similar to the coast of New England, USA. We stopped again at a rope bridge called the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge. The bridge was about 50 feet across but 100 feet up and with waves crashing underneath. The whole experience was filled with choice words and Kurt yelling at me to stop bouncing on it, but in reaching the other side we met a seascape that was well worth the 3.60 pounds. Waves crashed on the shore and sprayed upwards against the rocks while salty air invaded our nostrils and cleared our heads of any worry.

Next we came to the Giants Causeway. Upon getting out of the car I looked around and saw nothing giant and no causeway; which only added to the anticipation of seeing it. We had a quick lunch and stopped in the gift shop. All of us bought something and it was of considerable value. Kurt, Matt and I got matching scarves... just kidding but we did buy wool scarves, which are quite nice.

The driveway down added to the mystery as well. It was about half a mile down and around a corner when you saw the actual formation. It sprawled all over and the columns were clearly visible. They are the result of volcanic activity. The molten basalt met the ocean and the columns jointed together in hexagons. Almost every picture taken looked amazing and I'm sure you'll see them all as new profile pictures on Facebook. Kurt and I attempted some bouldering, low height rock climbing, and Kurt succeeded scaling a 20-foot column. I sat back and took photos as he gingerly made his way to the top all the while exclaiming how nervous he was.

Next up was a tour of the Bushmills Distillery. Our tour-guide Siobhan described the 3 main stages in producing a whiskey: the wash, the distillation, and the barreling. The wash comprises of water being pumped through barley and then stored in wash tanks that hold approximately 65,000 liters. Next the wash is triple-distilled and a pure spirit is formed. The spirit then moves into various barrels according to the desired product taste. The barrels age for a minimum of 6 years and up to 21 years. Some whiskeys are only sold at the distillery in Ireland. The 12-year is only available here in Ireland and the1608 are only available this year, as it is the 400th anniversary of the Bushmills. The tour was thoroughly enjoyable and almost everyone commented on the smells. The whole grounds had the scent of grain, and then cedar, and then alcohol.

Click here for more pictures

We trekked again onto the bus and made our way to the old Dunluce Castle. The castle sits next to the northern Atlantic and in the ruins lays the remnants of a once grand estate. The twists and turns of the Irish landscape only add to its' majesty and beauty. In touring Kurt and I snuck down to a cave. The cave mouth opened underneath the castle and out to the ocean. Possibly one of the coolest moments in the day.

In leaving the castle we were all tired and most of us slept the whole way home. It was a jam-packed day of walking and we needed time to process everything, but the night was not over. We were to make our way to the East Belfast Methodist Mission to hear a lecture Orangism.

The second half of the night began with a quick stop back at the dorms. We stretched and attempted at trying to look refreshed as we made our way to the East Belfast Mission. Linda Gould greeted us and led us into a back room where we were all warmly greeted by the rest of the group attending the lecture. There was a distinct contrast in the way people spoke about their faith from those of the Catholic faith we met. In my opinion, it was very Christ centered and biblically oriented, something familiar to me, as I am a Protestant. The lecture looked at the Orange traditions in the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Her presentation was very challenging. In addition, the lecture was very informational about how people act when at bonfires and how the defense of unionism creates tension. Some of the information in the lecture seemed foreign, but we would soon see it all come to fruition in the wee hours of the morning.

After the lecture we made our way to a "wee bonnie" up the street capped by the tri-color Irish flag. Children ran around gathering last minute debris to burn and fifes played from all directions. It resembled a 4th of July in the US, but with a mix of poverty. The burning material ranged from wood, to rubber tires, to bed mattresses. It was all an awkward experience. Often we were reminded to keep wary of the drunkenness of everyone around us. As we traveled to the next bonfire we were aware at how alcohol inflames the pride within people. It acts as a catalyst for the bad in people, which often focuses into bigotry. The next “bonnie” was large by our standards; but nothing compared to later that night. The heat was intense and kids happily walked up to it to throw more fuel. It was a ceremonial passing of the torch to the younger generation. In this action I saw myself. I have always been somewhat of a pyro what with lighting fireworks too near my mom; but this was on a totally different level. The teens all had handles of liquor and many seemed tipsy if not fully drunk. I could easily see myself in their position; if I were from here. The pride was contagious and if I grew up in those areas I could see how I would have happily taken part. It was eerie how easily we all fell into the spirit of the bonfires, even though they underscored a sentiment of hate and annihilation of the Catholic community.

The final bonfire was in my words and Mr. Bizga's "craziness". The structure towered about 60 feet upon layers of wood and tires. Men in neon vests acted as "security" guards and watched carefully anyone who approached the pile. There was a picture of Gerry Adams high up, something Katie found very offensive. Multiple tri-colors decorated the tower as well as an effigy of Pope Benedict. At one point 4 or 5 men climbed up and doused the tower with gasoline then at 12:01 am kids took poles lit on the ends and caught the pile on fire.

It took about 10 minutes for it to catch but when it started it went up fast. The blaze met its peak when the flags burned and the pope literally exploded. Cheers rose and we all remained silent. It was a mix of emotions for us all. Personally, I felt a tug from both sides, one willing the fire to burn on and another for it to end.

After an hour or so of watching it we made our way back to the dorms, all soaked in the smell of it. The smell of the fire invaded your nostrils and stuck in your hair. One shower was not enough, a lingering reminder of the night.

Reflecting on it all, I’m still torn about the bonfire tradition; due to the mixture of symbols. But, attending the bonfires defiantly helped in understanding the Protestant community and its bonfire tradition. It helped me emphasize with them and understand why so many people would want to participate in the tradition. My time in East Belfast aided my understanding of the complexity of the diverse communities of Belfast and their conflicting traditions.

Click here for pictures of the bonfires

-Connor McDonald

There and back again

Our correspondent today is Matt Risser:

Today began like most others; we began with prayer and breakfast then prepared for our long day awaiting us. Once every one of us Euro travelers geared up for our day we all hopped into our taxis and we left for Clonard Monastery once again. This morning was basically an extension of our service work that we did yesterday. At around eleven in the morning we met with the Clonard youth group and went through the local neighborhoods and gathered children for a morning prayer service that marked the end of the Clonard youth group’s outreach program.

After mustering all the children that we could we gathered into the church and began the prayer service. Lead by Fr. Michael, the prayer service was full of song and dance and got the children riled up during the service. It was obvious that the “wee” ones and the youth team were all enjoying the service. Fr. Michael included a puppet show in his service and used it to emphasize the importance of saying “Thank You.” He stated that those two works are the most important in the English language. The children who have grown up in a community torn by sectarianism learned this important lesson. I could see that they were very excited to be in the service where they learned alternatives to violence in the community. The service appropriately ended with the youth group, including ourselves, being thanked for the work that we did. After the service our group said its goodbyes to the Clonard youth team and departed.

We took a walk to City Center to pick up some things for Gina and a quick bite to eat for some. We had to be back at Queen’s at 4 pm we for our classes. With Ms. Duarte, we discussed the end of the book Reading in the Dark. We also prepared for our final exam with Mr. Bizga; which will cover Irish history, politics, conflict transformation, culture, and faith traditions. After class the night was ours, the men did laundry and talked to the Italian students at the student center, whilst the women went out and celebrated Fr. Michel’s birthday with the Clonard youth team. At the close to the night Kurt, Jacob, Connor and me watched the movie Once before heading to bed.

Tea Parties & Bouncy Castles

"May there always be work for your hands to do, may your purse always hold a coin or two. May the sun always shine on your windowpane, may a rainbow be certain to follow each rain. May the hand of a friend always be near you, may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you."
- Irish Blessing

Our Correspondent today is Michelle Gattenio:

Today started out as a fulfillment of every little girl’s dreams- a real life tea party. We entered a large banquet room in the temporary City Hall, down by the docks, and saw 12 china teacups lined in a pyramid formation at the end of the table. There was not only real tea in the cups but there were real cookies (biscuits) on the plates! It was a brilliant addition to the actual meeting we had with the Lord Mayor of Belfast, Tom Hartley. The meeting started off with a short explanation of how he personally became involved with Sinn Fein and working with the peace process. Jim, from Stormont, also chimed in informing us that the newly elected Lord Mayor had founded the first actual Sinn Fein office, which was amazing to hear. We had never heard this before today, and the only time we had heard about Tom Hartley was when Mr. Bizga talked about the amazing tours he gives of the Milltown and City Cemeteries. To think we were meeting such an important person, not only in a political and leadership sense, but a prominent part of the history of one of the biggest political parties in all of Ireland.

The Lord Mayor willingly fielded all of our questions about where Belfast is now and where he saw it going in the future. One thing that stood out to me was the way he responded to a question about where Belfast was going, in regards to the peace process and integrating to the two neighborhoods. He said he didn’t know how long it would take for things to get better, but he knew for a fact that things wouldn’t go back to how they were. This was a refreshing point of view, one we hadn’t heard from any of our speakers yet. The fact that things may take a year or 50 years to improve is unknown, but it is ensured that the country will not return to the warfare of the past. The Lord Mayor (as we were instructed to address him) was remarkably down to earth for a man with such an impressive resume behind him. He refused to sit at the head of the table because his seat in the middle was just fine. This lessened any tension immediately and allowed the nature of the conversation to flow naturally. After we took advantage of a photo opportunity and signed the guest book, we headed out to Clonard Monastery to meet up with the Youth Team.

When we arrived we were enthusiastically greeted and rushed into a group photo with Gerry Adams, who happened to be at the monastery for a meeting at the same time we arrived. Many important talks throughout the peace process were held at Clonard. We approached him and he immediately recognized us as those Americans with flashing cameras from the park opening. We made some jokes about how we are following him everywhere with our cameras ready and he joked back that we were stalkers; all together it was a pretty normal conversation with an important political figurehead. After Katie vowed never to wash her hand again, (after Gerry Adams shook it) we got back to work cleaning up the Clonard grounds.

Our task was clear: the parking lot had to be in tip-top shape for that evening when the Youth Team would be hosting a big BBQ for the local children. When we finished the clean up, we ate lunch and started to bond with members of the Youth Team, who were all around our age group (15-22). Let me say this is an amazing group of people. They were all so welcoming and so willing to do whatever they were asked to do. We were then split up into three different groups and scattered into different parts of the surrounding neighborhoods. My group ended up in a ‘round-a-bout’ at the end of the street and began to set up the games. It astonished me how many kids started flooding out of their houses when they saw the blue shirts of the Youth Team coming. The games were commenced with a game of ‘skip’ or American jump rope, followed by a riveting game of limbo, which I won, and ‘jumps’ (jumping over a rope that gradually becomes higher- essentially backwards limbo). Then I decided to join the group of boys in a game of ‘football’ in the ‘car park.’ One of the little boys questioned if a girl was really going to play football, and Peter, one of the Youth Team members, assured him that I was from America and therefore I was good at football. Well as if that didn’t make me nervous enough, when I finally got picked for a team, the team captain, a 7-year-old boy Francis, looked up at me and said, “ You better be good.” The pressure was on. At the end of a grueling 2-hour match my team of course came out victorious and I left with many new friends between the age group of 5-10. The group met for dinner and some good “craic” (Irish for lively conversation and fun) and then prepared to face the BBQ in the rain. Let me tell you, the rain in Ireland puts Cleveland rain to shame. It came down hard and cold, and yet all the children still came out for their hamburgers, ice cream and jump of the inflatables or “bouncy castles.”

Today was not only a great opportunity to release our inner immaturity by playing with the children, but we also all made great friends with the members of the youth Team. They taught us certain words often said in Ireland, such as brilliant, that’s class, lovely, gorgeous (used in describing food and intimate objects along with people) and other various phrases in Gaelic. In return we taught them about Chipotle and the ever growing ‘that’s what she said’ fad. The day/night is one that will be treasured and remembered when we return to the States. It was full of laughing, new friends, hugs, face paint, ice cream and rain; a lethal Irish combination for guaranteed fun.

Michelle XOXOXO

Click here to see pictures from our day!

PSNI

In most conflicts, the main part of the problem…consists and getting people to talk and listen to one another.

~ Howard Raiffa, The Art and Science of Negotiation

Today's correspondent is Kurt Eicher:

Am I awake or dreaming? Everything in the last 24 hours seemed to go very wrong. My day started at the police barracks where we had to pick up one of the members of our group known as Michelle Gattenio. She was arrested the night before for creating a public disturbance and possession of a false passport! This member of the “Belfast Nine” that we trusted, and so dearly loved, is now labeled as a common criminal. Then I awoke from my nightmare and realized that a new day started. But, policing was on my mind…

We began the day like any other, with breakfast followed by or Ignatian prayer. Today was our day with the PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland). We left or dorms for the Police Department where our group was given a lecture by Sergeant Davies. Sergeant Davies’ lecture was extremely informative and particularly interesting because of the relevance of the information on our understanding of the Northern Ireland’s “troubles” and continuing tension. We were then briefly greeted by the District commander of North and West Belfast. We were told that the presentation we would hear is similar to one’s given to visitors with the PSNI from Iraq, Israel, South Africa and other “hotspots” around the world. Increasing numbers of people come to Belfast who want to learn from the experience of Northern Ireland and its transition out of conflict; which is why we are here.

Sergeant Davis spoke about the severity of the situations at Orange Parades and how walking only a few meters into a contested area can cause rioting for weeks. He showed us surveillance and aerial footage from a 2005 event to demonstrate his point. The Orange Parades on the 12th of July, are still the biggest policing event of the year and require months of preparation. Another point he made clear, was the fact that the police units in Belfast during the “troubles” considered themselves a third entity between the nationalist/republicans and unionist/loyalist communities. Trying to keep order put the police against all of the paramilitary groups like the IRA and the UVF - making the law enforcements jobs harder. He expressed that policing here has been difficult due to attacks by paramilitary groups and community distrust of the police. Some attacks were in plain sight, while others, like the “come on” tactic, was carried out by calling in a minor complaint just to lure out the police so the various paramilitary groups could ambush them. The legacy of this continues today with a hesitation to quickly respond to calls in some areas. He also mentioned that in order to be effective as a law enforcement agency, you need to build relationships with the people you protect. Since the police service was historically overwhelmingly Protestant building relationships and inroads with the Catholic community is still very difficult.

Today building community relationships is essential to building a police service in an intense post conflict society. The police have had to build relationships with suspected paramilitary leaders in order to build inroads into communities. Even though sometimes a community leader’s paramilitary connections are obvious (“even the dogs on the street know”), the police would not attempt to arrest them for participating in paramilitary activities. The rational given is that in this unique situation it would be counter productive to building long term peace. This obstacle creates difficulties while trying to dismember these violent groups, but also creates opportunities to develop new technologies, like the CCTV surveillance systems. These camera stations, he explained, are strategically placed around the city so to keep a watchful eye on rabble rousers. After explaining subtleties of the department’s strategy for fighting crime, he got to his main point, which was very important and can be used in the U.S. relations with terrorism. The point was that the most important thing in dealing with a double minority conflict as in Ireland, or any conflict for that matter, is to have an open dialogue between the opposing sides. People must talk with their enemies if there is ever to be peace. The district commander stated one day the US will have to speak with enemies if peace is to come. He stated that this was not an attack on the US; just his personal experience of what is working here. Within an environment like Northern Ireland and others (Middle East), you cannot impose direct rule or law. Force may win a battle; but cannot build a peace. You must open discussion with all parties in a conflict to have a better understanding of each side; this will draw the conflict closer to a compromise.

After such a moving lecture, we all went down to the departments “canteen”, or cafeteria, where we ate a delicious meal of chicken and “champ”(mashed potatoes). Shortly after eating, we had the privilege of visiting the temporary prison cells. While in the cell wing, we also went through the interrogating room and then we were off to the parking lot. When we asked why we were going to the parking lot, the leading officer said we could “inspect” the riot control vehicles. These iron monsters were roughly 4 tons and clad with one inch steel plates, along with alarms and bullet proof glass.

After the wonderful tour of the North and West Belfast Police Districts we went on a brief bus tour, where we took a look at the "peace walls." The funny thing is that the peace walls actually preserve the conflict instead of creating peace. The conflict is preserved by the continuing separation and ignorance of other culture, which ties into the Sergeants’ lecture on the steps toward resolved conflict. During the tour we saw that a new peace wall is being built. Here is the irony of the peace wall: it is being built next to an integrated school (both Catholic & Protestants). The people in this community want there children to be in school together, but cannot live next to one another without a wall! Once back at the dorm we had an hour of well deserved relax time, which was followed by classes. With Ms. Duarte we continued our discussion of Reading in the Dark.

Then, the students and Mr. Bizga traveled down Malone Rd. to Speranza, a fine Italian eatery. The pasta was amazing and the banana and toffee pie was equally delicious. The meal concluded our day, as most of us headed back to the dorms to finish up papers and reading for class the next day.

Kurt

Please follow this link to see more photos from our day!

Language & Literature

Our correspondent today is Katie Marini:

Today was our last day of class at Queen’s University. Professor Gordon McCoy, who discussed the Irish language movement in Northern Ireland, gave our first lecture. We then had our lecture with Dr. Eamonn Hughes, who discussed Irish literature. The professors gave us an overview on how language and literature reflects a culture’s identity in all aspects of society, socially, politically, and economically. After listening and analyzing both lectures, we able to not only learn about the Gaelic culture and how it has evolved over time, but have also broadened by understanding of Irish history, which is expressed through Irish literature.

We started off the lecture with Professor Gordon McCoy. He discussed how throughout the 1950s, people had to learn Irish in Catholic schools until the age of sixteen. However, the Irish language and culture became politicized - because to the Unionists, Gaelic was a source of anti-British rule. After having an hour lunch break, we returned back to Queen’s University where we commenced our second lecture with Dr. Eamonn Hughes, who discussed Irish literature and how each poet expressed his or her views, whether political or personal, through their poetry. He discussed different Irish poets such as John Hewitt, Louis MacNeice, Seamus Heaney, Michael Longley, Derek Mahon, Medbh McGuckian, Paul Muldoon, Sinead Morrissey, and Alan Gillis. Not only did he give background information on each poet, but he also explained the overall meaning of his or her pieces of poetry and how all the poets seem to be interconnected.

After listening to both lectures, we learned things we were all unaware of before going to class. For example, we had no idea how difficult it was to preserve the Gaelic language. Dr. McCoy discussed how Irish schools had openly taught Irish for free because many Catholics did not have enough money in West Belfast to afford that kind of an education. When the schools were first opened, authorities did not recognize the schools as legitimate. In fact, Irish-speaking schools were not recognized until 1985. We later learned that most authorities were against the Irish language and Irish speakers because it was the language of the prisoners; therefore, it became the language of the Republicans and those who expressed anti-British rule. Professor McCoy ended his speech by stating that conflicts nowadays are fought through the language and culture as opposed to guns and violence. In fact, the troubles of 1968-98 revived the Irish language because people used it to talk about events of the Troubles.

After class, we made our way home where we were given two hours to catch up on any unfinished homework. We then had classes with Ms. Duarte and Mr. Bizga, who gave us quizzes on both “Reading in the Dark” and “Leading through Conflict”. After class, we made our way down to the kitchen to prepare for dinner, which consisted of stuffed peppers, mashed potatoes, noodles, and salad. Once our stomachs had settled, a couple of the girls decided to go up to the “Roast”, which is a nearby coffee shop, to get some coffee before we headed off to bed. Overall, it was a successful day !!

Sunday, Sunday

Our correspondent today is Gina O’Riordan:

We began our day with 10:30 am Mass at St. Brigid’s Church down the street. Just as Mass ended, we stepped out into the Belfast rain (my umbrella and rain jacket have become my best friends). So we all hurried back to the dorms to dry off and get comfortable because 9:30 am was too early to roll out of bed for a group of teenagers! Katie, Michelle, Ms. Duarte, and Mr. Bizga went into the kitchen and began making breakfast then Raymond showed up. He only stayed for tea as he had some things to do at Clonard Monastery. We had some time to get work done while the cooks were in the kitchen, but I could barely focus with the aromas drifting into my room! When breakfast was ready, we all filed in and filled our plates to the brim; we had regular scrambled eggs, scrambled eggs with red and green peppers, bacon, French toast with syrup and berries, and fruit salad. It was brilliant!!

After breakfast the guys went to a local coffee shop called The Roast while the girls watched P.S. I Love You with a cable connecting my iPod to the TV. It was a perfect movie to see in Ireland; the main character Holly Kennedy (Hilary Swank) has been married to the Irish guy Gerry (Gerard Butler) for 9 years when he suddenly dies from a brain tumor. He sends her letters (in a secret way) to help her cope with his tragic death, and she eventually visits the beautiful country of Ireland (without all the rain!). Galway Girl was even sung, and we all joined in! At 4:30 pm we all met back in the kitchen for literature class with Ms. Duarte. We have been discussing Seamus Deane’s Reading in the Dark, a novel set in Derry that discusses a young man’s maturity, dealing with themes of insubstantial presences, family secrets, questionable truth, religion, and Irish history. It is an amazing story, but we all agreed it would be hard to understand without the knowledge we gained being in Northern Ireland. We first had a short reading quiz and then a scholarly discussion for about an hour.

Afterwards, some people went with Mr. Bizga to Clonard Monastery to help Raymond stuff envelopes for the Lourdes Pilgrimage that Walsh Jesuit also partakes in. Others stayed at the dorms to finish some work and catch up on sleep. When everyone made it home, we had gourmet pizza for dinner, courtesy of Tesco, while watching the men’s final of the Wimbledon tennis tournament. I, being an avid tennis fan, had the task of explaining the 4 hour match to everyone, one which I gladly undertook. Rafael Nadal won the championship, ending Roger Federer’s streak of 5 in a row, at around 7 pm when we had reflection. Then all went to their rooms to finish some homework and go to bed; we need all the rest we can get for the big week ahead!

Saturday, aka catch up day...

Our correspondent today is Jacob Clark:

Today was our Saturday “catch-up” day, meaning that we had time to get back in pace with our schoolwork, laundry, and sleep. We had planned to meet at 9:00 to have breakfast and start our day, but many of us overslept. Thankfully, resounding knocks on all of our doors by Michelle at a few minutes before 9:00 awakened us, and we were able to throw on our clothes and hurry to breakfast. After getting some food, everyone did whatever they felt they needed to do, whether it was sleep, catch up on laundry, take a shower and get ready for the day, read more of Reading in the Dark by Seamus Deane, or write prayer journals. I multi-tasked and did laundry while reading the book and working on my journals. The kitchen became a common room for some students as we ate lunch and did our work together while enjoying each other’s company. We then had English class with Ms. Duarte, which included a quiz. After class, people waited anxiously for 3:00 to roll around because Mr. Bizga would be back from his shopping spree at Tesco (the grocery store) and let people have free time to go to the city and shop. He arrived at the dormitory with a taxi full of groceries. With great haste, the students quickly brought the groceries inside and unpacked them. Not long after, Ms. Duarte stated, “That was the fastest I have ever seen groceries unpacked.” The pictures of the unpacking process were blurred by the quick movement of the students.

After we unpacked the groceries, we were allowed to go to the city. Since Gina and I still had a lot of work left in our journals for Mr. Bizga, we decided that we would stay home. We completed most of our work as the other seven students went shopping; Ms. Duarte and Mr. Bizga had free time. Mr. Bizga used the opportunity to get a haircut, while Katie, Allison, and Michelle got their ears pierced. They arrived at the John Hewitt at 5:30 for dinner, but it took a while for everyone else to arrive and the pub was full (due to the live Irish session music). As a result, we walked to a couple of other restaurants, and we ended up eating at a cool pub, named McHugh's, near the waterfront. The food was delicious, especially the desserts, and I did not start a menu on fire here as I accidentally did at the Chinese restaurant the night before Mrs. Varnish left.

After eating dinner and making friends with people at the tables around us, we made our way home with Ms. Duarte as Mr. Bizga stayed behind for a hour to talk to his friend Jim. Jim is an intelligent, political mastermind for Sinn Fein, and he took us to lunch on the day we visited Stormont Parliament. When we got home from dinner, we prayed about the day, reflected on the day’s occurrences, and determined that we will be making our own breakfast in the kitchen tomorrow morning after mass. Most of us then went to the BP gas station just off campus in order to buy some snacks and small items, and we later headed toward the building where we normally eat breakfast to see the Italian students who typically congregate there. However, we were not allowed in the building since the Italian group had booked it, so we spoke to many people outside. We met a boy who had a beard similar to Matt’s beard, and I had a couple of people tell me I look Irish again. Also, Mr. Lennon came over and brought his television set, DVD player, and a movie for us to watch sometime. Around 11:00 pm most of us were hungry again, so we went into the kitchen to talk to Mr. Lennon and eat. We practically finished off a bag of Doritos and ate a good amount of biscuits. We concluded our “catch-up” day at about midnight when we headed off to our rooms for some much needed sleep.

Thank you family for giving me the opportunity to go on this trip!

-Jacob

P.S. We all miss you, Mrs. Varnish!!!!

Day 9 - Irish Studies & Service

If you take myth and folklore, and these things that speak in symbols, they can be interpreted in so many ways that although the actual image is clear enough, the interpretation is infinitely blurred, a sort of enormous rainbow of every possible colour you could imagine. ~ Diana Wynne Jones

Our correspondent today is Sarah Pinter:

Today we slept in a little bit. You would be amazed by how much better it feels to have one extra hour of sleep! After breakfast, we hurried to the Irish Studies building at Queen’s to hear another lecture by Dr. Dominic Bryan. His presentation was entitled "Parading Traditions in Northern Ireland.” Today’s topic was rituals and symbols, especially those associated with the Orange Order (a Protestant semi-secret society) and the Orange parades. Dr. Bryan is one of the most entertaining lecturers I have ever heard. He’s brilliant, although some of his theories can seem a little out there. (Scottish clan tartans were actually invented by an English clothier within the last century to up his sales? No one tell Doc Worthington!)

The Walsh Jesuit Students with Dr. Dominic Bryan

Dr. Bryan lectured on the rise to power, and subsequent fall from power, of the Orange Order, as well as on the symbols associated with it. He explained how the meaning of a symbol changes over time. It all depends upon the context of that symbol. An analogy he used was of our own American flag. When we see it behind the President on TV, it doesn’t have the same meaning that it did when members of the Ku Klux Klan were waving it around in the Deep South. Speaking of flags, Dr. Bryan came armed with quite a few to show us! Being one of the world’s leading experts on the symbology of flags, Dr. Bryan was very impassioned. Here are some interesting tidbits: the red hand of Ulster, a traditional symbol of Unionism/Protestantism, is also a Nationalist/Catholic symbol. I did not know that. Another irony centers on the Irish and British flags. Although they are used here in Belfast to denote division from each other, they actually are riddled with symbols of unity. The green and orange of the Irish flag stand for Catholics and Protestants being at peace, and the British flag incorporates the cross of St. Patrick (the diagonal red stripes) to show the union Ireland of Britain. Very interesting stuff!

After the lecture, we grabbed some lunch and tried to get into the main building at Queen’s to see the great hall. Unfortunately, we only got as far as the gift shop. There was yet another graduation, and we were not really welcome there. After meeting back up with Ms. Duarte, we went to see Belfast Castle and climb the Cave Hill mountain trail. Belfast Castle is beautiful. It overlooks Belfast Lough, and much of Belfast can be seen from it as well. Despite its ancient appearance, the castle was actually constructed in the last hundred years or so. It is not a real castle, but it’s close enough for us!

Climbing the Cave Hill trail was a lot of fun. Before it even gets to the mountain, the trail winds through some trees. Everyone was complaining about how steep the climb was. We had no idea what was coming! The trail up the face of the mountain looked imposing and it was a tough climb. Nevertheless, it was well worth the effort. The view from the summit was spectacular. We could see all of Belfast, Belfast Lough, and even the distant shores of Scotland. The sun was shining, there was a wee breeze, and the grass was very comfy. We didn’t really want to come back down, but sliding down the mountain through the grass was a blast. Hopefully we will get the grass stains out of our jeans!

We had dinner tonight at the Spur Steakhouse. (We were going to go to the Hard Rock Café Belfast, but it’s closed!) Everybody ate a ton. I personally ate an entire rack of ribs. For service tonight, we were going to go to a youth intervention center near Ballymurphy and befriend the area youth. However, the weather was so nice tonight that almost nobody came, so they let us go home. It’s the one downside to having beautiful weather in Belfast.

We’ve just had our evening prayer and reflection, so it’s time for bed now. Tomorrow should be nice and relaxing. Hopefully we’ll all embrace the opportunity to recharge our batteries. Until then, over and out!

Here are a couple pictures from Spur Steakhouse. As you can see it felt like a "Walsh Jesuit" tribute restaurant!

Day 8 - Irish Studies & Service

Our correspondent today is Matt Risser:

Every day you may make progress. Every step may be fruitful. Yet there will stretch out before you an ever-lengthening, ever-ascending, ever-improving path. You know you will never get to the end of the journey. But this, so far from discouraging, only adds to the joy and glory of the climb.

Sir Winston Churchill

After a long night of goodbyes and good lucks to the recently departed Mrs. Varnish, we awoke to the sound of a frantic rapping at the door. Gina promptly waking everyone so we were not late to our morning classes. After all of us ate a quick breakfast we left for class at Queens. Our lecturer today was wily British gentleman named Dr. Dominic Bryan. His class was entitled, The Peace Process and Devolved Government. Dr. Bryan is the Chair of the Irish Studies Department at Queen’s; but is on a sabbatical. He is well versed on the peace process in Ireland and has academic interest in the symbolism of paramilitary flags.

As we began class, we learned a lot about Dr. Bryan and his background, a British Catholic who was for the most part unbiased in his views of the peace process throughout the lecture. He touched on the problems leading up to the troubles; but he particularly stressed the peace agreements and the aftermath of the Good Friday or Belfast Agreement. He emphasized that although peace agreements in Ireland have been made, there are still strong divisions in society and government. Only in time will be able to tell how united Northern Ireland’s communities will become in the future. The most important lesson that I learned from Dr. Bryan is that, although agreements can be made between warring factions, “solutions take time.” The insight he presented can be applied to conflict situations universally.

After class, we ate lunch at the dorms, and then left for our service. Service today began at the Conway mill. We were given a brief history of the old linen mill and its operations during the early 19th century; while were invited to tea and biscuits (cookies), which is a very common way of bringing friends into an environment in Ireland. We toured a radio station and Katie was able to guest DJ for a moment. Later we began handing out community awareness fliers from the Community Intervention Project. We had numerous interactions with the local community; including stray dogs and young children eager to lend a hand in distributing the fliers. At the end of our service, we met President of Sinn Fein, Gerry Adams, as he unveiled a new playground in the neighborhood in which we had just completed our community service.

After our service the night began. Mr. Bizga ordered a delicious gourmet cuisine unknown to many in the states, Dominos Pizza! We all ate and then dressed up for the night ahead. At 7 PM we went to the historic Belfast Opera House to see the play Blood Brothers. The play is the story of twin brothers that are separated at birth by their mother. They grow up best friends, unaware of their kinship, and the tale through their relationship touches on all aspects of human relationships. With a stellar cast and music, as well as intense scenes of gunshots coming from the audience, Blood Brothers was definitely the best play I have ever seen. After the close of the play our Belfast connoisseur, Mr. Bizga, took us to across the street to experience some traditional Irish music. The band was excellent; even including an interesting rendition of “Loosing my Religion.” At the end of the day we closed with a great reflection and some cold pizza.

Day 7 - Irish Studies & Service

There is a story that when incoming jets throttle back for the approach to Belfast's Aldergrove Airport, the pilots tell their passengers to put their watches back to local time - 1690. ~ Russell Miller

Our correspondent today is Kurt Eicher:

The day began with a stretch and a deep breath of Belfast air, followed shortly by the thought of a full day ahead. After the usual morning rituals and a brief breakfast at the Student Center, the nine of us took a brisk walk down the posh Malone Road to the Irish Studies building at Queen’s where we attended a lecture by Dr. Katy Hayward. Her class was entitled, Introduction to Contemporary Politics. Dr. Hayward focuses her academic research and writing on current political science; particularly in Northern Ireland. Her lecture started with civil rights movement in Northern Ireland and the complete political breakdown in the early 1970’s. She explained turbulent period from 1968 to the mid 1990’s. The points she made on the events that occurred were particularly informative because of her attention to facts. I enjoyed her unbiased stance; she would present points and counterpoints to underscore her objectivity.

After the lecture, we had a bite to eat for lunch at the Student Union building and then split into groups for the afternoon service projects. While on the way to the service center, my group of three winded through the busy streets of West Belfast in a cab, which passed a huge mass of lumber and trash. I hesitated for a moment, but then asked my driver, “What the giant pile was for?” Taxi drivers in Belfast are typically quite talkative and give one a very informal perspective on history, politics, and culture. He was quick to reply that it was for the upcoming Orange Bonfires. The bonfires are the central “sacrament” for the Protestant/Loyalist communities in Northern Ireland. The bonfires, held on the eve of the 12^th of July, celebrate the Protestant victory at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. At the battle, Protestant King William (Billy) finally defeated the Catholic King James – ensuring Protestant domination in Ireland for centuries. Protestants believe that the battle gained for them “civil and religious liberty.” He continued to tell us about it and said there is a suspected 50 bonfires in the city this year, most towering over 3 stories high! This was a stark reminder the blatant sectarian division in Belfast; it is the bedrock upon which communities are built.

Once at the service center we were told of our task for the day. Jacob, Sarah, and I were to help set up a music recording studio to help create opportunities for kids and young adults to find alternative sources of entertainment and activity; other than wandering the streets causing trouble for law enforcement. This was especially gratifying because of my personal connection with music and that I can take this and apply it to the benefit of underprivileged children in poorer areas of town. While working there, we talked with the administrators behind the project, along with three kids who were eager to see the project begin. The administrators also were eager to gain insight in our views on the American Presidential election as well. I found my time there to be a great experience and know that it helped me better understand what the city needs; different outlets that the up and coming generation can use to channel their energy and time, rather than continue in the footsteps of their ancestors in sectarian violence.

After working for a number of hours, we went back to the dorm, showered up, and donned our finest outfits for a goodbye dinner in the name of the revered English teacher, Mrs. Varnish. As sad as we were to say goodbye, we were grateful to spend an exciting week with her, and ended it with a spectacular dinner at the Chinese restaurant called Welcome. The Chinese community is the oldest “foreign” immigrant group in Belfast. They settled here before and stayed through the troubles. The owner of the restaurant was named an OBE – Order of the British Empire – by the Queen to acknowledge his supreme culinary skills. The food was indeed fit for a Queen and the orange chicken, the leftovers of which I’m snacking on now, was especially delicious. The day was then closed with my favorite part of the trip, a moment of reflection, prayer and meditation.

Kurt

Click here to see more pictures from today!

Day 6 - Irish Studies & Service

Our correspondent today is Connor McDonald:

“History, Stephen said, is a nightmare
From which I am trying to awake.”
~ James Joyce Ulysses

We all woke up today to a harsh knock on the door. It was time to get ready. Another long day was ahead as we all tried to wipe away the remnants of the previous day. In short, tensions were high and sleep deprivation had taken its toll on the community. Food was running low and we had to vote someone off the island. No really. We all needed a nice night of sleep. But, upon waking up, everyone had hit their restart buttons, and excitement was high for the beginning of our lectures at Queen’s University and the service project assignments.


Before we headed off into various communities, we had a group meeting where we examined the poem "Easter 1916" by W.B. Yeats. We highlighted the theme of uncertainty, something common in the Irish Protestant mindset. After that we trekked down to the main campus of Queens for a lecture by Dr. Gillian McIntosh. Her presentation was entitled "Introduction to Northern Irish Politics." The engaging lecture focused on the time period between 1880 and 1932. She shared with us a theory of “firsts” and a way of understanding the leaders who agreed to the partition that created Northern Ireland. When one first experiences something is impacting, the experience is intense, memorable, and shapes one’s view for life, whether it be our first experience of love or violence. The people who shaped Northern Ireland and modern Ireland experienced many of their “firsts” in the early part of the 20^th century. How they reacted to events, such as the Easter Rising or the Battle of the Somme shaped their worldview and directly impacted the nation states that they helped to build. The events that led to the creation of Northern Ireland were direct results of the life experiences of the men and women that shaped or opposed that state. The later tragic events of the late 1960s in Belfast and Derry could be seen as an end result of the events that surrounded the creation of the Northern Ireland state. Her lecture helped to enlighten us as to why the leaders had such fixed opinions and worldviews.

After the lecture we had a brief lunch and hopped in taxis with the other members of each service group. We were divided into four groups that all would work with different organizations. The breakdown was as follows…

1: Katie and Matt worked at St.Peter’s Cathedral in their soup kitchen, visiting with various ethnic populations. Belfast has seen an influx of immigrants from Eastern Europe, and many of them have joined the homeless population of the city.

2: Sarah, Jacob, Kurt, and Ms. Duarte worked with a children’s intervention organization that aims to keep kids off the streets and out of trouble. Drugs and “anti-social” behavior are huge problems.

3: Michelle and Mrs. Varnish worked with the Féile organizing committee. The Féile aims to reduce tension in the nationalist/republican communities that annually occur on the anniversary of the Hunger Strikes. It has served as a model of conflict transformation and has become the largest community festival in Europe. Many community volunteers help to bring together forums to reduce tension and educate for social justice.

4: Gina, Alison, Mr. Bizga, and I worked with an organization that effectively acts as a forum between the concerns of the predominantly Catholic neighborhood of Ballymurphy and the predominantly Protestant police service (PSNI).

My experience was as follows:

After slight confusion in finding the correct building, we were welcomed by Marshall. Marshall heads the forum organization and explained in detail the way the forum between the neighborhood and the police works. The Catholic community tended to distrust the overwhelmingly Protestant police force in the past; now the perception is that that Protestant police force is reluctant to help the Catholics. The police sentiment is “You did not want us in the past, so you do not need us now.” Marshall's organization advocates for the community members with the police and makes sure that there is follow through on requests for policing.

The paradox is slowly killing the neighborhood. It enables people to get in fights and never be punished. Impunity seems to rule the day. We learned about how fights turned into murders and, in a rather crude response, I said, “It’s just one less person they have to worry about.” But it’s a sad reality for the men and women who have little to defend themselves with. During the “Troubles” they would normally go to IRA and Sinn Fein, the Catholic centers of power; today they cannot. Since the peace process all are told they should look to the police; but if the police do not follow thr,ough that is a huge problem. It's all a sad spiral of neglect, but Marshall hopes that through the forum the police can come to take responsibility in protecting the neighborhood, even if they dislike its inhabitants. Over time the hope is that trust can be built.

After our brief talk we were lead by a man named Jimmy through the nearby neighborhood. Jimmy is a small guy with two kids of his own and a Protestant girlfriend as well. He is a community worker and has taken it upon himself to keep kids off of the Black Mountain, a large mountain that kids often get into no good on, whether it is “druges” or skirmishes with Protestant kids on the other side of the peace wall. In his tour we met up with Maureen, another politically active person in the community, and stories flowed endlessly. We followed them and learned about their work.

What surprised me most were the stories about suicide. The mental health of the Northern Irish population is under attack. It’s startling to hear of how commonplace suicide has become, but in a way it ,makes me want to be that much more involved. Every experience here has been one that can be applied elsewhere; the principles in building peace and transforming conflict are universal. The observations I have made on the conflict can hopefully come into play in trying to sort out our own problems in the US and elsewhere.

We took a moment to ride up the Black Mountain and from the top we could see just how small Belfast is, especially considering how much hype and political thought has been poured into it. From that hill I saw a city in the works, only just getting back on its feet. Bearing that in mind, there is a sense of hope alive throughout. There are beautiful shrines on the mountain to Padre Pio and Mary. We were told they were a place of solace for many during difficult times.

I know this may seem like a long-winded and depressing story, but it’s one that the people here are quick to tell. They have no reservations about describing the grizzly world they live in, and I’ve given you a very watered down version of it.

The day has been long and it's time for some sleep so until the next installment, thanks for reading.

Connor McDonald