Paramilitary Monday and Green Vrs. Orange

The past two days have been a blur.  While fighting the temptation to become overwhelmed with the complexity of such a contentious issue, we have managed to remain intrigued by the various views presented to us. 

Monday, we had the chance to visit two so-called interpretive centers representing both sides of The Troubles.  The interpretive centers presented themselves as small-scale museums, located in two of the most obviously definitive Loyalist and Republican neighborhoods of Belfast.  Each visit was followed by a talk, led by representatives from both the Loyalist and Republican communities.  

 Our day started off traveling by taxi to The Andy Tyrie Interpretive Centre.  The center was located in a part of Belfast know for its strict commitment to the Protestant cause.  The street was lined with Union Jack flags, commemorative morals of the UDA,UDF and shops selling Queen Elizabeth souvenirs.   

We were welcomed in to the center by Billy Rowan.  Billy toured us around the various exhibits of the Museum, stopping to explain his own role within the conflict and to point out newspaper clippings of the events that he felt were of specific importance to the narrative of the Loyalist effort.

 After the brief museum tour, we were led upstairs to a small room arranged to look similar to how an official press release might appear.  In the middle of the room was a table draped in an Ulster flag. Behind it, Billy sat accompanied by two other Loyalist representatives.  At first, the set up presented itself as intimidating and militant, however, we were quickly made to feel comfortable by our hosts, who gave us the opportunity to ask questions about the conflict, and their own involvement in paramilitaries.

The conversation we had was extremely honest and straightforward.  Although the setting of the event made the first few questions skeptical, weary amidst militant propaganda, the theme of conversation focused largely on the peace process and the steps these volunteers were making within their communities to bring about peace.

 By the end of the Q&A, I personally had developed an empathetic understanding of the struggles as seen from Loyalist eyes. 

 (ABOVE):Loyalism starts young.  A "Born in Ulster" baby bib seen in a Protestant Souvenir shop.

From here, we boarded another taxi to Tar Anall, the Catholic interpretive center.  When our taxi came to pick us up, the drivers had to discuss amongst themselves where was the best place to drop us off.  Being a primarily Loyalist taxi company, the drivers usually didn’t drive fares to the Catholic neighborhoods.

Tar Anall presented itself similarly to the Andy Tyrie Centre.  We were left to walk around the museum, and to browse the exhibits of newspaper clippings, artifacts, books and flags.  The Tar Anall museum was largely made up of historically significant artifacts and crafts made by Republican prisoners while held hostage at Long Kesh prison. 

 While the Andy Tyrie Center functioned as a memorial of lives lost and a display of the once power of the UDA, Tar Anall had a lighter and more artistic interpretation of events.  While we browsed the impressive woodworking projects made by Republican prisoners (with tools later taken away with the removal of political status) traditional Irish pan flute music played over the loud speaker.

(ABOVE):A guitar with drawings done by prisoners inside Long Kesh (The Maze)

 

After touring ourselves around, we were brought to meet Evelyn Glenholmes.  Evelyn shared her amazing story as an Irish Republican growing up in Belfast during the 1970’s.  What started out as a familiar narrative of Irish repression, quickly became personal as Evelyn revealed details of her fathers imprisonment and her own run from British forces.  At one point, Evelyn held the top spot on the Scotland Yard’s most wanted list.  She has spent years on the run and afraid for her own life.  She has now returned to Belfast and spends her time educating on the topic of peace and reconciliation as well as political and community development.   Evelyn’s story was one of the most harrowing and amazing stories I have ever had the privilege to listen to first hand.

 By the end of this talk, it was clear the sympathy for Republican survivors felt by our group was immense.

 

 In short, the day was nearly overwhelming.  While trying to remain removed from the emotional commitments of conflict, I found myself unable, and instead locked in for a confusing, emotional, roller coaster.  In a short span of time we were taken both physically and mentally to two vastly different sides of a divide that has been prominent for hundreds (if not thousands) of years.  Throughout the day I found myself wishing I had more knowledge of the history and a better understanding of the people.  At no point did I feel as if the stories I heard were in any way untrue, yet the facts didn’t match up.  Both sides told us earnest accounts of personal injustices done to them, their loved ones and families.  Both sides have been the victims of hate crimes and brutally violent urban warfare.  At points, I felt ashamed of my privileged position to study such a conflict without direct involvement in it.  At other times, I felt grateful for my life void of such strict bias.  In all, a chance to hear these first hand accounts made me realize the divide goes much deeper than Irish or British, Protestant or Catholic, Republican or Loyalist.  The only context I could come to understand was that it was Green versus Orange. 

  Amidst the discrepancies in stories, there was one unifying factor.  There was an obvious desire by both sides of the conflict to progress.  Both wanted lasting peace.

After Evelyn’s talk we visited one of the peacewalls dividing the city.  There, we took turns passing around a marker, and signed our names.