The Fragility of Peace in Northern Ireland

Jim White was 14 years old when he lost his best friend due to an eight-meter-high wall that suddenly separated the Protestant north from the Catholic west of Belfast, leaving them on opposite sides of the divide. Today, at 69, Jim White can revisit the once notorious Catholic Springfield Road in west Belfast, but he prefers not to. He acknowledges that a lot has changed since the days of conflict known as “the Troubles,” but still appreciates the presence of the Peace Wall gate on North Howard Street to prevent any potential resurgence of violence.

Just 500 meters away from Jim White, Michael Culbert works with an association called Coiste to offer political tours along the Peace Wall. Culbert, a former member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), brings visitors to key locations in Belfast to shed light on the history of the conflict. He believes in standing up for politically condemned individuals like himself, as he reflects on the events that led him to join the IRA in his early twenties.

The tour guide, James Ellison, takes tourists on a journey through Belfast city center to explore the sites that were significant during the Troubles, such as the location of the Abercorn Restaurant bombing in 1972. Despite the dark legacy of the conflict, tourism in Belfast has grown into a billion-euro industry since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. However, as James Ellison notes, peace remains fragile, as demonstrated by recent acts of violence in response to Brexit.

While older generations reflect on the past, younger residents like Gemma Gabbie and a group of teenagers advocate for opening the Gates of Peace for longer periods or even permanently. They believe that the walls and gates create a stigma between communities that should be bridged, emphasizing the importance of fostering relationships rather than maintaining physical divisions. The next generation of Belfast residents looks towards a future where walls do not stand as barriers between friends and neighbors, seeking unity and peace in a city scarred by its history.