Consortium Workshop on Sectarianism September 18 th September Monaghan

1. Storytelling to Promote Intergenerational Reconciliation And Learning: lessons from IrelandCarragher, L., Glendinning, W.and McKeown, L. Consortium Workshop on Sectarianism September 18th SeptemberMonaghan dcDiversity Challenges

2. Overview of presentation…… • The background • the conflict • geographical context and legacy • The Spiral Project • Case studies • Youth programme • Findings • Further work

3. Northern Ireland conflict 1969-1998 Political and religious roots that are centuries old: Protestant Unionist community: NI should remain part of the UK Catholic Nationalist community: NI should leave UK and become part of the Republic of Ireland Good Friday Agreement, 10 April 1998 After 30 years of violence, 3,500 deaths, over 35,000 injuries, 34,000 shootings and 14,000 bombings, few families left untouched (Muldoon et al., 2005). Background and context …

4. Northern Ireland County Louth Estimated that 22,000 people were displaced from Northern Ireland to the Republic (Ratheen, 2005) Over 3,000 deaths Geographical context and legacy… Climate of fear and suspicion People became reluctant to mix socially Reluctance to express cultural identify Implications for communities Societal well-being is tied in significant ways to individuals’ sense of belonging Key part of identity based belonging to family, community, nation, ethnic group etc. The conflict created hurts which increased divisions (sectarian / national).

5. Storytelling to Promote Intergenerational Reconciliation and Learning (SPIRAL): Aim - explore the use of intergenerational reflection as a means of facilitating community healing and fostering sustainable peace in the Irish border region Method The study was carried out in three phases: Phase one: identification and selection of mid-life and older adults (n=20) willing to share their story. identification and selection of young people to participate is workshops Phase two: data collection - 20 in-depth qualitative interviews and 9 video memoirs from mid-life and older adults Survey data from 36 young people Phase three: interactive working sessions with different groups of young people drawn for local schools and community groups (n=36) aged 16- 25 years socio-economically disadvantaged areas Phase four: discussion groups with young people and older people collection end point survey data Aims and Methodology… getting the message of peace and reconciliation across to young people

6. Storiesare powerful tools to bring past experiences to life - to highlight reality of community conflict - human repercussions of conflict - guidance for vulnerable young people Storytelling promotes listening, the use of imagination and critical thinking skills – endorsed by Consultative Group on the Past / Victims’ Commissioner It can also be a process which - builds resentment - reinforces wrongs - maintains conflict Why intergenerational storytelling?

7. The biggest tragedy in my life – Bride, aged 90 years. A Loyalist no-warning car bomb in Dundalk at 6.22 pm on Friday, 19 December 1975….that was the Friday before Christmas he died and he was buried on Christmas Eve. It took a terrible lot out of the whole of us. My mother kept asking where was Jack she couldn’t get over that he hadn’t gone to see her for Christmas. She just went senile. It was such a terrible shock on the family, the whole lot of us. We were never really told much about it.. The Guards never came to me and Maura was saying that nobody went to her either…. The government said they would pay for funeral expenses and anything that was incurred but they didn’t pay for anything. Like nobody even came near us, even nuns or priests. Trauma Ripples extending far and wide (Bloomfield, 1998) Psychological and emotional impact Culture of silence / forgetfulness prevailing denial culture does not encourage victims to access services family encouraged to move on cnd let the events be wiped from the community’s collective memory (Harvey, 2005) Case study 1… the past impacts on the present

8. it’s actually harder on the family– Marion, aged 50, wife of ex-prisoner. Karen grew up, she was eight and a half months old when he went in and she was eleven when he came out. I think it’s actually harder on the family…they have their three meals a day, their heating and lighting and all provided, for us we don’t, we have to find the money to feed and cloth the family.This myth that when they went into jail you were looked after was wrong. You were alienated…I remember people that I would actually know crossing the street so they wouldn’t have to speak to me or be seen to speak to me, I think you never get away from the fact that I am the wife of an ex-prisoner...and they [the community] do not welcome you in. They tolerate me now…because of the work I do and I am a member of the District Policing Partnership, . The family The primary group affected are the partners and children. Evidence of psychological and emotional consequences on the children of prisoners (Farset, 2000). Material hardship Stigmatization - Wives and children were often stigmatized for the husband’s or father’s politics (Harvey, 2005) Case study 2… the past impacts on the present

9. Youth programme... Sessions: 10 working sessions with between 5 - 14 young people in each session Listening and communication skills Stories- Videos? Response to the videos - If she were my granny, I would like to ask her? Communications skills Who would I like to listen to in my family? What would I want to find out? What’s my experience? My story The present- mapping out your average day Listening and sharing. Noticing the past in the present The everyday effects of the past in the present Identifying a core effect/event identifying a range of voices that have something to say. Identifying 3 voices I will listen to

10. Findings • The past impacts on the present – recognition of this is the first step as William Faulkner said, • the past is never dead, it’s not even past • Young participants were concerned about speaking out / potential implications for their family • As they were supported to develop communication and interpersonal skills: • Positive impact on relationships with peers across community barriers • Crucially, it led to new conversations with older members of the family • “it was great getting to learn about other cultures and storytelling was an effective way of doing it. I learnt that it is so important to listen to everyone because it is interesting and great to learn”

11. Generating and maintaining the enthusiasm and commitment of young people to be involved is challenging The temporary nature of young people’s priorities and circumstances made it difficult to find young people with the time and commitment to be actively involved Encouraging conversations between the generations Can we encourage the positive elements of group identity and avoid the negative? Challenges sharing | learning | communicating

12. Further Work AFTERMATH • Victims of the conflict and their families • People displaced by conflict • Supported by Co Louth Peace & Reconciliation Partnership PEACE III. • Partners • Diversity Challenges • Integration Centre • County Museum Dundalk • Rural Community Network

13. Acknowledgments: Special Support Programme for Peace and Reconciliation For further information, contact: Lucia.Carragher@netwellcentre.org w.o.m.glen@btinternet.com