Peace IV Newsletter - Autumn Edition 2019

Newsletter
Autumn 2019
Take Back the
“Sit there! Walk properly! That’s
dangerous! Get down! It’s what many
parents tell their kids,’ says Cath McBride
of In Your Space Circus, ‘but there’s value
in letting young people go. It’s powerful
for their development. Our team tell
them how to do thing at are perceived as
dangerous, safely.”
The PEACE IV funded project ‘Take Back
the Streets’ has young people doing
exactly that. Made up of 4 elements –
Parkour (Jump NI), Circus (In Your Space
Circus), Dance (Create Dance/Studio 2)
and Graffiti Art (UV Arts) – the project
saw several hundred young people take
over city centre locations for a week in
July. Orchestrated months in advance,
the teenagers had engaged in a series of
specialist workshops. “Everyone wanted
to be spraying, jumping, and tumbling,”
says Cath, “but first we explored themes
like borders. What does it mean to be an
outsider or insider? What are our shared
experiences?”
“I’ve been doing parkour with Jump NI,”
says a lad sitting astride a cannon on
the walls as his friend backflips. “It’s fun
getting to know new friends.” A Circus
Big Top occupies Guildhall Square. Inside
purple light floods yellow sunflowers
and white daisies, red ribbons, trapeze
swings and vaulting equipment.
“We’ve had people from different parts
of the city and country come in. We’ve
been learning about borders. Shared
spaces. Using art to bring people
together,” says a teenage girl. “For
Shared Spaces I feel like they should be
open to everyone, no matter what or
who you are.”
“It has been great developing
collaborations – seeing the collective
passion in arts organisations for peace
and reconciliation,” says Cath. “The
emotive, physical and creative formats
we’ve used have let all kinds of young
people excel.” She speaks animatedly of
youth with ADHD, Autism and one young
participant suffering with anxiety. “She
did circus. Juggling. Skateboarding. We
told her “Go out there and be yourself. If
that’s too hard – be who you want to be.”
It was liberating for her. Life-changing.”
Borders Create Hate. It’s a clear message
from the Graffiti Art teens. They’ve
looked at propaganda posters before
creating their final pieces. “It was really
good to work with people from different
backgrounds you wouldn’t normally work
with,” says one young artist. “Everyone
working together to make something
positive.” He stands by a backdrop of
beanie hats and hoodies, stencils and
freestyle art.
Streets
A young woman from the dance team
agrees. “We’ve been coming up with
choreography – talking about issues like
borders, integrating space and freedom
of expression – then putting our words
and emotions into the routine.”
Physical and emotional contact creates
something powerful between people.
There’s a subconscious team-focus on
commonality rather than difference. A
‘shared space’ in action. “Often youths
socialise in their own wee silos,” says
Emma of council’s Children and Young
People’s team who commissioned the
project. “This project gave them an
opportunity to meet. Respect developed
naturally without authority figures,” says
Cath. “The kids were so invested in it,
had so much ownership, that they acted
as a team, a troop.”
Vaults, acrobatics, tumbles and stilts.
There are many ways to step beyond
obstacles together if you are creative.
Juggling. Applause.
At times this summer, talk of the border
has felt like walking a tightrope - like a
wheel has fallen off the peace process.
Perhaps circus school gives us all
hope that tightrope walking is about
achievable balance. When a wheel comes
off, try unicycling.

Sperrin Heritage & scone bread
“The name Park didn’t show up
until the 20th Century,” says Johnny
Dooher, local historian. He talks of
Traveller memorials, the Tireighter
Stone Ring, Learmount Castle Estate,
An Sagart Ban. Drawings maps,
Photos. After buttered scone bread
and a cuppa in Park Parish Hall,
around 50 people go for the walk
round Learmount Forest Park. The
Sperrin Heritage Walking Trail is part
of the PEACE IV One Community
project. Council is rolling out projects
across the entire council area in
partnership with local community
groups.
“One Community is delivered through
urban and rural areas. The Sperrin
area organised a series of walks and
talks in 6 different rural locations –
Ballymagorry, Douglas Bridge,
Plumbridge, Donemana... This is the
3rd walk. It’s about Good Relations,
but also about health,” says Martin,
Council’s project officer.
“People don’t realise the biggest killer
in the house is the armchair,” adds
Leslie from Brighter Ballymagorry
Development Group. “The walks are
a chance to meet people from other
villages we’d never otherwise have
met. That’s how friendships build.
Wonderful what you can learn only a
few miles from your doorstep.”
Leaders in fluorescent Walking for
Health safety vests top and tail the
group. Sunlight sparkles through the
trees of Learmount forest. Rustling.
Birdsong. Hum of voices. An old
Plantation building, Learmount Castle,
emerges through the leaves. In the
1940’s during World War II, evacuees
from Ashleigh House, Belfast came
here. The whole girl’s school was
evacuated from the bombing.
Jane shares story of one lad, Charles
Millbrook, who became the only boy
in the relocated school. Everyone
laughs thinking of the wee English
fella in Derry girls… “The Millers of
Millbrook were big in grain, milk,
electricity. They’d 8 year-old twins
– a boy and a girl – educated by a
governess. When the fancy school
arrived in the local area, both twins
were sent up on the milk lorry to join.”
There’s the ghost stories of the
rattling chains, a carriage through
the forest. Walking, Mary from near
Donemana talks about cutting turf at
the back of Murlough.
“We’re a dying breed,” she says, “but
I love setting the sods in footings to
dry… I saw this project advertised
in the Parish bulletin and thought
to myself – I’d be into that. History
and heritage... We’re from Planters in
Scotland. I think we’d land but they
drank it. I should’ve been Presbyterian
but must’ve got watered down along
the way.” She smiles. “See, we all
have histories… On these walks I’ve
met people from Ballymagorry and
Park. Sure we’ve nothing in common -
except everything.”
“Did ye enjoy the walk?” The banter’s
lively. “Aye, sure. I did it twice. Where
were you?”
“It’s a rural area,” says Caroline from
Learmount Community Development
Group. “We all drive through the
villages, Plumbridge, Cranagh, Park…
but in this project you get a chance
to stop, meet people, hear history. For
that alone, it’s worth it.” She waves
her umbrella vaguely in the direction
of Park Parish Hall. “We could chat all
morning,” she says, “but come on now,
we don’t want soup sticking to the
bottom of the pans.”
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Connecting Communities
Early September. Spirits are soaring at the Mela - a massive
multi-cultural community event. If you assumed we’re in
Guildhall Square or a public park, think again. Welcome to the
Fountain-Bishop Street interface. “I knew we were making
progress,” says Donna (Bogside and Brandywell Initiative)
when I overheard a shout at Hallowe’en by the dog leg gate
to the interface. “Saoirse! Get back here, the Fountain’s this
way.”
“Everyone was fed up with the orange and green agenda,”
she says. “We recognised the influx of people from around
the world, yet they seemed to be on the periphery.” The
Connecting Communities shared space project set out to
integrate the full diversity of identities around the area. “At
the start you wouldn’t believe how hard it was to get people
out of their areas,” says project worker Seánín, reflecting on
the ‘traditional divide.’ Then there were fears of accidentally
causing offence. “Nobody toul’ me you don’t hug a male
married Muslim,” says Maureen (Pink Ladies), “but I soon
learnt.”
Older residents from both sides of the interface were
fascinated with the Culture Club. “They’d ask the Syrians
what brought you here? The stories were endearing but sad,”
says Donna. Cooking from round the world was popular, but
it took effort to build cross-cultural friendships. “At the start,
people from different countries put wee signs up to explain
their food,” she says. “Now everyone talks.”
Food however, was only the starters. BME communities had
tours of local community services. All communities worked
together in project design. Dialogue, capacity building,
history and heritage were at the heart of programming.
The project emphasised integration and empowerment.
Crafty Corner united residents in craft-making. FUN (Families
Uniting Neighbourhoods) brought families together for a
series of history, heritage and social trips. The LOVE project
trained residents with skills for volunteering.
“Most of our participants had left school at 14,” says Maureen.
“It was the done thing – Catholic or Protestant, you walked
Carlisle Road to the factory. Some never had a certificate
never mind a graduation. They’d barely left the Fountain or
Brandywell.” She recalls participants hearing from a Buddhist
monk about being up a mountain in Tibet. Mind-blowing.
“On a different course some wee ladies had never met a
gay person before. We’d a representative from the LGBT
community who was… let’s say flamboyant. When we were
doing sexual health training there was some craic. Great
camaraderie. Religion and political beliefs didn’t matter in
that room… Our older people did reminiscence. That saying
- wait till ye hear the bars – we found it comes from the shirt
factories! When women had gossip they’d kick the bars under
the sewing tables and head for a smoke to hear the gossip.
And here’s one for you - we were remembering years back
there was a local woman swam in the Commonwealth Games
and the Olympics. Wee Joan from the Fountain sitting in the
room pipes up – it was her. She still has the blazer. One of her
trainers was our facilitator’s Da.” It’s a whole different angle
on cross-community history.
The PEACE IV Connecting Communities built on previous IFI
Peace Walls and Urban Villages funding. “In terms of shared
space,” says Donna, “we’d progressed, but we needed more
events. Initially some people refused to go to the Fountain
out of fear. After reassurances they did and found a great
welcome. We’ve found a changing attitude. When we plan
events or bus pickups we don’t have to say in advance where
they’ll be. There’s a willingness to go wherever we can get a
space… open doors now for residents from across the area to
access services. People are moving more freely.”
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CultureFuse
The clue’s in the title. The project
links Irish, Ulster Scots and Marching
Band cultures. “The dialogue is always
between everybody. From conception
to design,” says Catherine from An
Cultúrlann. In the ‘traditional Norn Irish’
sense, you’d struggle to find a more
diverse collective. Members include
the North West Cultural Partnership
(Walled City Tattoo, Londonderry
Bands Forum, Bready and District
Ulster Scots, Blue Eagle Productions,
Bob Harte Memorial Trust, Sollus
Highland Dancers) and Irish Cultural
representatives (An Cultúrlann, Oideas
Gael) and St Johnston Orange Lodge
LOL992 from Donegal. “We’ve learnt
a lot about collaborative work,” says
Catherine. “When there’s fears or
difficulties, discussion and reflection
has helped relationships.”
Music flourishes. Traditions meet.
Pipers, fluters, singers, drummers - Irish,
African and marching band musicians
routinely collaborate. “You build on
what you love,” says Catherine, “not
around what you disagree on.” At a
packed cross-community event in
St.Johnston Orange Lodge, love of
dance, drama and music is evident.
Despite its positive community
contribution, the Donegal Protestant
community has sometimes felt isolated,
misunderstood. Keep your head down…
don’t rock the boat... In the New Gate
Arts Fringe Festival heads are raised.
Songs as gaeilge sound alongside the
William King flutes and Thiepval pipes.
The heat of border politics is of less
concern than the heat in the room
affecting musical tuning.
Before CultureFuse one young clarinet
player had never performed beyond
school and his local marching band.
He was for changing his degree
choice from music to business. He
almost phoned in ‘sick’ before a first
Traditions Meet performance in Bready.
Afterwards, he emerged grinning, his
confidence as a musician massively
boosted. “I’d never heard him sing,”
says Catherine, “But a different day
we’d a group of former soldiers in – big
strapping 50 plus men who’d served in
Derry. The same lad sang The Parting
Glass and spoke of his Granda dying
and the song’s significance. Once he
shared, it was unbelievable how the
former soldiers opened up, tears and
all.”
Highlighting 100 years of women in arts
and culture was the theme of Common
Threads, a textile arts exhibition. Its
colourful panels graced Waterside and
Cityside venues. Recently, the Holland
Memorial Lodge, the only ladies lodge
in the Cityside, have engaged to tell
their stories and a further collective of
artists – from poets to woodcarvers,
conventional to digital artists, have
worked together on sustainability.
For language, the context hasn’t been
easy – Stormont suspension, Irish
Language Act issues. “Politics returned
people to silos,” says Catherine. “How
do you talk about Irish language
outside politics?” In CultureFuse,
place names have attracted a ‘nontraditional’
audience. A trip to the
Scottish Gaeltacht showing Gaelic
fused into British Presbyterian identity
in church, war memorials and Rangers
Supporters clubs was eye-opening. One
participant confessed his granny had
been a fluent Irish speaker… Another
participant first engaged because his
granny, a gaeilgeoir (Irish speaker) had
stopped speaking Irish when working
for landed gentry. In old age with
dementia, she’d reverted to Irish and
her family couldn’t understand her.
“Give people an emotive connection, a
reason, and they’re more likely to learn,”
says Catherine.
The ‘Say focal’ (it means word…) series
of talks transformed attitudes and
shared space. Initially venues were wary,
but events were held in Protestant
communities and churches. “Very
negative” was a common response
on initial tick box questionnaires on
attitudes to Irish Language. ‘Very
positive’ the more common post-event
response. “I didn’t know any of that
information,” wrote one participant.
“Given a chance, people don’t conform
to green and orange boxes,” says
Catherine. “We need funders to
measure success differently. Inclusively.”
The project is edgy. Dynamic.
Progressive. Like so much peace work,
it needs ongoing resourcing. “With this
type of work,” she adds, “you can’t take
your foot off the pedal.”
Page 4

Don’t Shoot My Wane,
Shoot Me!
There is a bravery about some peace
work that deserves acknowledgement.
April 2019. Creggan. Shantallow.
Bogside. Caw. The programme bills
Don’t Shoot My Wane, Shoot Me! as
a “powerful new immersive drama
production highlighting the issue
of punishment beatings and the
dehumanising nature of such attacks
on both victims and perpetrators.” It
doesn’t disappoint.
Jason sits in front of us in a cheap
tracksuit. Eyes-flitting. Nervous. Jimmy
swaggers late into the community
meeting, “Word to the wise, kid. It’s
a done deal. You’ll not get much
sympathy round here.” From the off,
we’re in the thick of it. The characters,
the meeting, feel real.
“The case we’re gonna be dealing
with tonight is the incident with
wee Mrs McGinley,” says Maggie,
the Community Worker. She holds
up a photo of a battered old lady,
hospitalised after a robbery. “There’s
been calls all over social media for
street justice… As a community we’re
going to take a vote… A simple yes or
no.”
Jimmy elaborates “You just tell the
people here why you shouldn’t be shot
in the f****** legs,” he tells Jason. “Then
when you’re done, I’ll tell them why
you should.”
“It was an accident,” says Jason, “I’d
a drug debt, so I lifted the purse.”
Heckles. Supportive jeers. Different
characters speak from amidst the
audience.
“My nerves are just shattered…” says
Jason’s Mammy. “He’s been a bother
since he was 11…”
“Jason was first sent to me when
he was 14,” says his social worker.
“possession… cannabis at the time…”
“Twenty times he’s committed an
offence and been back out on the
streets again. Is that justice?” says
Jimmy.
Jason has already filled in his DLA
forms. He seeks clarification - one leg
or two? He’s had a troubled life. “So it’s
society’s fault?” says Jimmy. “Society
that robbed Mrs McGinley and left her
in a pool of blood?” Jimmy claims to
be protecting the community. “Who
gave you that power?” asks the social
worker. Planted taunts - shoot him,
shoot him… We are shown screens
of real life social media support for
punishment attacks.
Jason’s eyes go down. He sits. Quiet.
We learn Jason’s father jumped the
bridge when Jason was 11. Now Jason
has a son. Kitty, Jason’s mother
speaks. “I told him I wanted him shot. I
told him to take his oil. Can you credit
that? …Who are we under threat from
here anyway? You’re the only one I see
waving guns about here. Why don’t we
give Jason a break? Shoot me instead
of him!”
Jason wrings his beanie hat through
his fingers. “I’d just like to apologise.
Whatever you’s decide tonight, I’ll
go along with it.” There is a blurring
between fact and fiction. Maggie calls
us to reflect. “Think hard about it. The
vote that you give either to shoot
or not shoot – that is the message
that we as a community are sending
out to the rest of the world.” There is
applause. We’re thanked for listening.
We queue to vote. 15 minutes later a
live count is conducted. “No, yes, no,
no, no.” The final tally is 16 yes, 71 no.
Over the last decade 833 people have
been shot (287) or beaten (546) by
so-called paramilitaries in Northern
Ireland. From February 2018 –
February 2019 72 people were victims.
1 in 5 faced amputation or walking
with a limp for the rest of their lives. 3
people died. The average cost of each
attack to the NHS A&E was £91,362.
In each of the four venues the play
toured, the audience strongly voted
against punishment attacks. ‘Don’t
Shoot My Wane, Shoot Me!’ is a
Greater Shantallow Community Arts
(GSCA) project, written and directed
by Ronan Carr. For further information
contact Ollie Green, Arts Director
(GSCA).
Page 5

Opening Doors For Peace
“Sometimes in rural areas it’s
easier to be insular. You don’t just
walk down the street and bump
into diversity. You’ve to purposely
go out of your way to integrate,”
says Caroline from RAPID (Rural
Area Partnership Derry).
When the project first landed
on her desk she thought it
said 15% Black and Minority
Ethnic Participants, not 50%.
‘Intercultural Pairing’ was about
more than linking Catholics and
Protestants, it included wider
identities. It required thinking
outside the box.
From September 2018 – March
2019, 60 children aged 6 – 13 met
weekly in Newbuildings. A diverse
collective. Participants hailed
from the Mandarin Speakers
School, Extern, NW Islamic
Group, Destined, The Women’s
Centre Multicultural Group,
Claudy Brownies, Park Art Club,
St. Colmcille’s PS, Enagh Youth
Forum and Newbuildings Youth
Club. “I have loved, loved, loved
taking part in these activities,”
says Kayla from Claudy.
“Especially since I met my new
best friend, Chelsea.”
The project wasn’t always plain
sailing. “Parents of children with
learning disabilities weren’t
initially sure if their children
would be able to get involved,”
says Caroline. “I could also sense
a reluctance from other parents
about going to Newbuildings.” On
the first night, some of the girls
from Enagh refused to get off the
bus. “Look at the flags… There’s a
fella in a Rangers top…”
English language skills were a
barrier with Syrian refugees.
Some Newbuildings residents
were initially concerned about
Gaelic football being played
in their local community
centre. Good listening and
communication won many small,
significant, victories. People got
off buses, took part, talked, made
friends and became supportive.
“I was pleasantly surprised,” says
Caroline. “It was positive to see
the change.”
Activities included Gaelic/Soccer,
Tai-Chi, Multi-cultural Cooking,
Rugby and T-shirt printing.
“We really enjoyed teaching local
children Tai Chi and Chinese
Culture. They loved it,” says Yang
from the Mandarin Speakers
Association. Celebration of
the Chinese Moon Festival
with traditional sweets, cake
and painting dragons proved
popular. “The kids went mad
for the cooking,” says Caroline.
“Italian, Indian, Pancake Tuesday…
everything had a story behind it.
It wasn’t just here, have a bit of
pasta…”
She recalls a Newbuildings
lad helping a Syrian boy with
learning difficulties to learn
T-shirt printing. “The drawings
on the t-shirts had to represent
something important in their
identity, their community,”
she says. “I could see a real
connection between them
despite the language barrier.
They were drawing a Syrian flag.
Ah, yer mammy’ll be real happy
with that.”
Gaelic, Soccer and Rugby
surpassed expectations. “We got
involved because Newbuildings
is a rural community. Most
people stay local, play local and
don’t tend to mix with different
communities or cultures,” says
Sean from Newbuildings Youth
Club. “Some of the boys have
even missed football training to
be here tonight. They’re in the hall
playing Gaelic. Unbelievable.”
In May, the project finished with
a trip to Carrowmena. “Funny,”
says Caroline, “we weren’t
pushing the peace project thing,
but as friendships grew, so did
conversations. How come you
ended up here? I heard a girl
asking a Syrian friend. When
How come you’re not eating
a bun? turns into a Ramadan
conversation, you know curiosity
and trust has beaten prejudice
and polite silence.”
The project’s legacy is an opening
up. Of minds. Of hearts. Of
communities. “One of the houses
I’d go to collect weans from, I was
never invited in,” says Caroline.
“Curtains would flicker. The kids
came out. On the morning of the
final celebration the door was
opened. I was welcomed into the
house.”
Page 6

PEACE IV In Pictures
PEACE IV Networking Event
Gaslight, Churches Trust,
Rosemount Resource Centre
Waterside Shared Village (WNP)
Shared Space (Shepherd’s Glen,
Bond Street, Triangle)
LEAD Project (HURT)
Celebrating Common Christian
Heritage (Churches Trust)
Strabane Shared Spaces Project
(Holywell)
CultureFuse Sustainability Project
(An Cultúrlann)
PEACE IV Project (Playhouse)
One Community – Faughan –
Kayaking (RAPID/DCSD Council)
Youth Zone Launch
(GDi/DCSD Council)
Government Ambassadors’
Programme (DCSD Council)
Page 7

Are you taking part yet?
There is something for everyone in our Council PEACE IV Programme. Why not get
involved and support peace in person? Contact us – we’re happy to help direct you to
something that meets your interests.
Want more information?
Sign up for our monthly e-bulletin at www.derrystrabane.com/Peace-IV or
browse our website.
The PEACE IV Team can be contacted at:
Email: peace@derrystrabane.com
Tel: 028 71 253 253
A project supported by the European Union’s PEACE IV Programme, managed by the Special EU
Programmes Body (SEUPB).
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