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The Story Behind Northern Ireland’s Peace Walls

  

Category:  News & Politics

Via:  krishna  •  3 years ago  •  7 comments

By:    Niall McGrade

The Story Behind Northern Ireland’s Peace Walls
Belfast is a small city, but it’s demarcated by almost 100 ‘peace walls’ that separate Catholic and Protestant areas.

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S E E D E D   C O N T E N T



512 "Always British" reads a mural on the side of a home in loyalist east Belfast's Cluan Place. The barrier in the background is a peace wall separating them from the Catholic Short Strand neighborhood, east Belfast, Northern Ireland. (Credit: Steven Grattan/The World) 

Frank Brennan vividly recalls the shootings and bombings in Belfast, Northern Ireland, when he was a young man in the early '70s as well as attacks on his own life. 

Brennan, a member of the Irish republican movement, grew up in Short Strand, a staunchly Catholic, working-class neighborhood in predominantly Protestant east Belfast. 

Since the late 1960s, a bloody, 30-year guerrilla war was waged throughout Northern Ireland, leaving over 3,600 dead. Commonly referred to as "troubles," this period is defined by the conflict between Catholic republicans and nationalists, and Protestant loyalists and unionists. Catholics aimed to have a united Ireland, while Protestants fought to keep their British allegiance. This still continues today. 

In the '70s, the British government began to build separation  barriers known as "peace walls"  around Northern Ireland to separate Catholic and Protestant areas in an attempt to control sectarian violence. 

The walls were meant to be temporary, but they helped to calm tensions and decrease attacks between the two communities living in close proximity and became permanent. Today, many residents who live along these walls still want them to remain.


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Krishna
Professor Expert
1  seeder  Krishna    3 years ago

Since the late 1960s, a bloody, 30-year guerrilla war was waged throughout Northern Ireland, leaving over 3,600 dead.

Commonly referred to as "troubles," this period is defined by the conflict between Catholic republicans and nationalists, and Protestant loyalists and unionists.

Catholics aimed to have a united Ireland, while Protestants fought to keep their British allegiance.

This still continues today.

 
 
 
Krishna
Professor Expert
2  seeder  Krishna    3 years ago

In the '70s, the British government began to build separation    barriers known as "peace walls"   around Northern Ireland to separate Catholic and Protestant areas in an attempt to control sectarian violence.

 
 
 
Krishna
Professor Expert
3  seeder  Krishna    3 years ago

The walls were meant to be temporary, but they helped to calm tensions and decrease attacks between the two communities living in close proximity and became permanent.

Today, many residents who live along these walls still want them to remain.

 
 
 
Split Personality
Professor Guide
4  Split Personality    3 years ago

Well scratch Belfast off the bucket list.

That's sad.

512

 
 
 
Krishna
Professor Expert
4.1  seeder  Krishna  replied to  Split Personality @4    3 years ago
That's sad.

Some people there would definitely agree!

Although OTOH some might not:

The walls were meant to be temporary, but they helped to calm tensions and decrease attacks between the two communities living in close proximity and became permanent.

Today, many residents who live along these walls still want them to remain.

 
 
 
Sean Treacy
Professor Principal
5  Sean Treacy    3 years ago

Hopefully, once the occupation ends, the walls will come down.

 
 
 
Krishna
Professor Expert
5.1  seeder  Krishna  replied to  Sean Treacy @5    3 years ago

Hopefully, once the occupation ends, the walls will come down.

LOL!

Of course the Irish Protestants in Northern Ireland don't consider it an "Occupation".

OTOH I would imagine the Irish Catholics there do (?)

 
 

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