Our morning correspondent is Andrew Damm:
~ Richard Staines
After waking, I went to join the others at the Treehouse, which is a student commons in Elms Village at the Queens Elms student village. We all had a nice Irish breakfast that, of course, included baked beans. Once everyone was dressed and ready to go, we walked to the Irish Studies Building at Queen’s University.
We proceeded over to the lecture area to hear Professor Gordon Gillespie’s presentation entitled, “The History of Northern Ireland.” He started his presentation by holding up a Canadian flag. He welcomed us from Canada and we were confused and I though that he must have us confused with another group? After a few moments his point became clear: just because the US and Canada and similar countries and share most of the landmass of North America does not mean that we should be one country. He wanted to challenge the assumption that because Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland share a small island does not necessarily mean they should be one. In spite of this proactive beginning, his presentation was fair and balanced.
His presentation was presented in a chronological format from the formation of the state to the present. He talked about the division in Northern Ireland between the Catholics (Nationalists) and the Protestants (Unionists). From the beginning of the state it was dominated by unionists. In the late 1960s Catholics demanded rights and tensions rose and fight broke out. As violence escalated, trust in the government was lost across nationalist and unionist working class communities. Working class people in both communities turned to paramilitary groups to provide protection for their people and promote their values. After three decades of conflict, both sides finally reached an official ceasefire and a political settlement was reached in the Good Friday Agreement. Professor Gillespie ended his speech here by showing us the books he has written and informed us that “they are essential reading.” He is an accomplished author and gave a unique perspective on the Troubles and the recent steps toward peace.
Our next speaker was Professor Dominic Bryan. His presentation was about the Belfast and all the different ways people demarcate territory. They use songs, flags, parades, murals, and even everyday conversational language to express what they stand for ideologically. He asked us to consider why Belfast linked itself to the British Empire more than any other Irish city. Britain was the leading industrial power of the 19th century and the city of Belfast grew as part of that process. Britain provided the path to great wealth and economic expansion.
He also wanted to challenge the idea that Protestants are inherently loyal to the British Crown. Many of America’s earliest freedom fighters and heroes were Irish Protestants. We all know that these freedom fighters were not very loyal to the Crown and neither were many of their Irish counterparts before that Act of Union. We explored the complex historical and economic reasons why northern Irish Protestants found their place in the British Empire and how this decision still impacts life today.
After Professor Bryan’s speech we had a break for lunch, the guys and I went to Bishops Fish and Chips and enjoyed a nice lunch. Our first day in Belfast was off to a fun, informative and exciting start.
Our afternoon correspondent is Morgan Wajda:
Greetings from Belfast!
“There are more than just physical walls dividing our city. These are hidden walls of administration, prejudice, and discrimination. First, we must figure out how to break through those walls before we can work on breaking down the visible barriers…”
~ Lord Mayor Niall Ó Donnghaile
After lunch we began our bus tour with Dr. Dominic Bryan. This was our chance to see all sides of the city from a scholarly, yet personal perspective. We stopped three times to take pictures. Professor Bryan told us the stories behind each mural and the feelings of residents toward the artwork. Many ordinary Belfast residents live having to look at the murals. We then stopped at one of the Peace Walls that divides the Shankhill and Falls communities. The Peace Walls that divide the city were erected in order to keep the peace in Northern Ireland. Travelers to Belfast sign the wall, many leaving an inspirational quote about peace or simply write “Tear down this wall.” I think this is culturally insensitive, as it would be very easy as an outsider to travel to Belfast, write a simple solution on the wall, and then leave. Statements such as these are very controversial among the residents because it is very difficult to understand a situation without living through the conflict. I was challenged later in the day to reflect on the physical and hidden walls throughout this divided city. On a lighter note, we drove past the location where the Titanic was built. Dr. Bryan pointed out the Titanic Memorial Museum that is currently being constructed to be opened for the anniversary of the sinking next year.
Our bus tour ended at the City Hall where we were scheduled to meet the Lord Mayor. Mayor Niall Ó Donnghaile is only 26 years old, the youngest mayor in the history of Belfast and not much older than us. He spoke of the challenges that Belfast still faces and shared his strategies to create and maintain a peaceful city. Lord Mayor Donnghaile openly told us he belonged to Sinn Féin and was a Republican. He followed that statement by saying he was also pragmatic in his thinking due to the current conflict his ward (for Americans: his district) is facing. He is from the community in Belfast that has been in the international news this past week. Sometimes, his “Republican roots” might speak loudly, but he must think on behalf of the people. Although he looks out for his own party’s interest, his attention must also be directed to the entire city. I was interested in his perspective of the walls in Belfast. In his statement above, we learned how complicated the issues of the walls are for the city. Then, when given the chance, Clark Andrews was the most willing to ask questions (to which he received very thorough responses). He began by asking about the recently vacated British military barracks redevelopment plans and how the Lord Mayor plans to continue to create peace. After Andrew Damm had the chance to ask one final question, we were told it was time to leave. Our new tour guide, Rosie, arrived. She took us through special rooms most tourists don’t get to see and for all those who went on the trip last year, a room Mr. Bizga even said he hadn’t seen before. We all admired the architecture and continually joked because City Hall tended to remind us of our own homes (well, we wish we had homes like this!) Most of us took turns taking pictures in the Mayor’s Chair in the Council Chamber. Bill, Kevin, and Chris each had their turn of being Lord Mayor, making the rest of us patiently wait our turn during their photo shoot.
After the tour, the group walked back to our dorm at Queens University while Mr. Bradesca, Brian K., Drew, and I drove ahead with Mr. Raymond Lennon. We had a nice “home cooked” meal of pasta, lasagna, and salad. Emma, Bethie, Eileen, Laurie, Brenna, Ms. Madden, Stephan, and I had the honors of cooking the first meal in our new home. Unfortunately for everyone else, the responsibility of “dish duty” fell to those who opted out of the cooking. We were then able to spend the rest of the night just enjoying being in Belfast with our new family! Hopefully, we will all get a good night’s sleep and be able overcome our jet-lag by the morning.
Goodnight!
Miss you Mom and Dad! (and Michael, Madeline, and Marissa)
Morgan
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