The "Peace Wall" dividing Protestant and Catholic communities in Belfast, Northern Ireland. August 2002.

Murals on the peace wall. Belfast, Northern Ireland, August 2002.
 

Typical graffitti on the wall, most of which seems to be written by visitors with these kinds of sentiments. Our van driver (a Protestant who lives near this side of the wall) encouraged some of our group to write something, and gave them a pencil to do it. Belfast, Northern Ireland, August 2002.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Mural painted by one of the Loyalist paramilitary groups. Belfast, Northern Ireland. August 2002.

Area of Derry/Londonderry, known as the Bogside, a predominantly Catholic community outside the walls of the city. Sign was painted on a building (as a mural) in January 1969 when Royal Ulster Constabulary forces invaded Bogside, and residents built barricades and declared themselves a "free" city (free of Royalist/Protestant oppression and the forces of the state). This became a symbol of collective resistance to oppression. When the buildings and roadways in the Bogside were "improved," this mural was preserved and mounted here. Note the wall mural on the building to the right (and below).
 
 
 

This mural (and the one that follows) were painted in the 1990's by three residents of Bogside who call themselves "The Bogside Artists" (Tom and William Kelly, and Kevin Hasson). Their purpose with the murals is to continue the long-established tradition of political and social mural painting in Northern Ireland, and also to help the community remember its history. This mural depicts (artistically rather than an exact depiction of the events), the "Battle of the Bogside" that ensued after the RUC entered Bogside in January 1969. The woman with the microphone is Bernadette Devlin.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association (NICRA) had planned a march for Sunday 30 January 1972 to protest against the imprisonment of over 900 people, most of them Catholic, during the previous year as a result of the introduction of internment without trial by the Unionist government. About 20,000 marchers were confronted by 1800 troops stationed in Derry that day. Low level rioting broke out, and the army responded with teargas, rubber bullets, and water cannon. A battalion of paramilitary troops invaded the Bogside and within less than half an hour 13 marchers were dead. The mural shows marchers carrying a fallen friend, a Para "stepping all over" people's civil rights, and a priest attempting to create peace amidst the chaos. This event, known by Catholics/nationalists as "Bloody Sunday," is commemorated in Bogside by a memorial placed across the street from where the killing occurred (below).

An inquiry was established to determine who was at fault for the deaths of what were probably unarmed marchers. The army was exonerated, and the paramilitaries were commended by the Queen for their "heroic" actions. However, significant evidence, including independent eyewitness accounts, statements by soldiers, and taped conversations between the army and the RUC, proved that snipers had fired into the crowd, killing the demonstrators. On 29 January 1998, in response to efforts of the members of the Bloody Sunday Justice Campaign, Prime Minister Tony Blair announced a new tribunal to look into the events. Three years later the community is still waiting for the tribunal's assessment.

The worship space at Corrymeela, a Christian peace and reconciliation community in Northern Ireland. Many individuals and communities in Northern Ireland work actively to bring constructive and healing perspectives to communities in conflict.

Dunluce Castle, believed to have been built circa 1300. Northern Ireland, August 2002.

Giant's Causeway, a geologic formation of over 40,000 many-sided stone columns. Associated with the legendary giant Finn McCool who wanted to woo a Scottish maiden and needed to build a footbridge for himself across the Irish Sea. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

At Giant's Causeway, Northern Ireland. The "Wishing Chair." Sitting in this chair guarantees your wish will come true, so legend has it. August 2002.

During our one day in Dublin, some of us visited Kilmainham Jail, site of the execution of 15 participants of the 1916 Easter Uprising. The jail was built in 1792-95. This is the front entrance.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The whole team. Photo taken at Corrymeela, August 2002.