Originally published as a note on Facebook, I'm now publishing it here.
“As I have said, the first thing is to be honest with yourself. You can never have an impact on society if you have not changed yourself... Great peacemakers are all people of integrity, of honesty, but humility.” - Nelson Mandela
I’m always intrigued by human relationships and cultural interaction. I’ve been fortunate in my work channel my passion to create diversity awareness and appreciation workshops and facilitate dialogue about race, culture, and beliefs. I always crave opportunities to further my understanding of all these issues. One such opportunity came Saturday afternoon while walking through Helensburgh, the waterfront town in Scotland where my family lives. I came a march by a group of well-dressed men and women wearing sashes and medals walking into church and surrounded by police.
It was an Orangemen March
Though widely known to take place in Northern Ireland, it is also celebrated in some parts of western Scotland. Watching that event would be a taste of what I would see in the week ahead. On Monday, I boarded the rail to Stranraer, where I took a ferry to Northern Ireland. As I moved through the queue at the ferry terminal, I noticed a security bulletin prohibiting passengers against playing or singing sectarian songs and the presentation of sport banners.
When I arrived in Belfast, I found a sleepy city centre and hardly anyone on the streets, which I later discovered was because it was a bank holiday in Northern Ireland to commemorate the reason for the marches, the Battle of the Boyne. However, the next morning, I awakened to a bustling and eager Belfast, eager to demonstrate that it is a city progressing beyond The Troubles.But The Troubles haven’t been forgotten, and I think the Northern Ireland Tourism Board is doing its part to ensure it through a sense of edu-tourism. Maps of infamous sites and guided tours through “Trouble” areas are common. Guides will drive you through bombing sites, the Unionists’ area of Shankill Road decorated in the red, blue, and white of the UK flag, and the Nationalists’ area of Falls Road decorated in the Irish tricolours of green, white, and orange. Yet, the uneasiness of the sectarian divide remains. Gates between areas are locked at night and on all religious and sectarian holidays. Peace lines (walls as high at 30 feet) erected by the UK government between the neighbourhoods are growing plentiful and higher. A child could go through life without interacting with another child of a different sect until they reach university age because many parents opt to send their children to parochial or sectarian schools.
Passions already run high in football (soccer), but when you add sectarianism, it could lead to an all-out violent frenzy. Many in Northern Ireland follow Glasgow football, as it is home to two football clubs, the Rangers and the Celtics. Ranger fans, decked in red, blue, and white (sound familiar?), are historically Protestant, while the Celtics, decked in… and this is no surprise… green, white, and orange. The rivalry, known as the Old Firm, is highly intense and occasionally violent, that it makes the rivalry between the ‘Noles and the Gators look like a Junior League tea party. The human struggle against bigotry continues, and small victories are made every day. No doubt there are small victories that are happening in Northern Ireland. Despite “The Troubles” and the pain inflicted on many, it fascinates me how the Irish employ humour in all of this:My guide tells me as we approach a new stadium, "Because football wasn't enough of a bloody sport for us Irish, Belfast decided to create interest in a new sport... ice hockey. When input was sought for the team name, there was overwhelming support for "Belfast Bombers," but the politicians thought it wouldn't be right."
P.S. I have to mention my true encounter with the luck of the Irish. As I was doing an urban trek through Belfast, I came upon a small Catholic Church in the city centre. I came into pray and saw that mass would be celebrated at 1 pm. I figured I'd come back.Having almost two hours to spare, I decided--like any good Catholic boy between visits to church--to quench my thirst at a local pub. Well, long story short, I ended up with a free pint o' ale for lunch.
Now, that's luck of the Irish. And yes, I did go to mass afterwards. To give thanks to God, of course.
