Focusing on the Dialogue

by Griff Ryan-Roberts

"You can't grow crops on religion." This was the first time I heard something that helped me to gain some insight into the Troubles. Growing up, I knew very little about the conflict in Northern Ireland. Sure, I had heard of the IRA, but that was about the extent. Like most Americans, I'm sure, I thought this was a simple religious war between Catholics and Protestants. But our passionate and practiced tour guide, Gerry from Derry, gave me my first insight that more was going than a simple disagreement among religions. "You can't grow crops on religion." Land, and eventually the plantations on this land, would play a huge part in the discontent that goes back hundreds of years.

Although I began to gain a new understanding of the history of Northern Ireland, I couldn't help but keep thinking about the common themes between the Loyalists and Republicans, and the history of our own country's history relating back to the Civil War. Although the two differ in many ways, I couldn't help but see some of the similarities. The Union Jack flying one day a year above the capital building reminded me of the recent debates in South Carolina about the place of the Confederate flag in state buildings. The talk of parades of various sides of the battle reminded me of the Civil War recreations throughout the South. A fellow classmate asked a poignant question to one of our speakers, basically stating how do a people hold on to a culture, and in turn celebrate it, without upsetting the other side. Are these signs, symbols and other things so important to hold onto? Do they define us or do we define them?

Union Jack above the Fountain neighborhood

Republic of Ireland flag above the Free Derry Museum

Our wonderful tour guide for the walls, Terry Brown from Derry town, explained the reasoning for the one remaining 'peace wall' within the walls. Terry explained that they youth on either side of the fence used to face off and throw rocks, bricks, etc. at one another. This was Protestant vs. Catholic. But as times have changed, the youth still come together to throw things at one another, but now it is over a football (soccer) match. Two professional teams, both from Glasgow, Celtic (Catholic) and Rangers (Protestant) now represent to these youth each side of the conflict. Which makes me wonder, will we as people always find ways to divide ourselves. Again I look at our own country at the struggles we have. It seems as though tensions between groups continues since the birth of our country. We are so young compared to Ireland and the United Kingdom and yet, even these two older countries have only recently found peace. I was feeling very disheartened learning about the struggle here in Northern Ireland. It made me feel hopeless for my own country. But then, James Grier spoke to the class, and I began to feel inspired. He spoke of his own transformation, his "epiphany" as he says. This where I began to see the value of dialogue. If you examine from a macro level, it can become depressing and disenchanting. But when you examine from a personal, one on one level, there is hope.