Tag: Belfast peace wall

Two neighbours divided by Belfast peace wall turn barriers into friendship Physical wall turns short distance into long walk Lily Brannon, 73, and Michelle Bradley, 46, live in Belfast on opposite sides of a peace wall that separates the Springfield and Springmartin Road areas. Their homes are only about two minutes apart on foot. Because of the wall, the journey between them takes around 20 to 30 minutes. These peace lines exist across parts of Belfast to separate some Catholic nationalist and Protestant unionist communities. Friendship formed through cross community project The two women met through a cross community programme in west Belfast. The initiative runs at the Black Mountain Shared Space building and is supported by the International Fund for Ireland peace barriers programme. At first, both felt cautious. Michelle remembers a sense of reservation. Lily describes it as suspicion. That early tension faded as they spent more time together. From fear to trust Lily grew up before the Troubles, the decades of conflict that ended with the 1998 peace agreement. Michelle was born during the 1980s, when violence was still widespread. Michelle says she did not grow up with hate, but with fear of what she did not know. She believed people on the other side might already dislike her, even without meeting them. Strong bond despite history Over time, the two women built a close friendship. Lily now speaks warmly about Michelle and says she is someone she can rely on. Michelle has also formed a strong bond with Lily. Their relationship shows how everyday contact can reduce long held fears between communities that have been divided for decades. The International Fund for Ireland, which supports this kind of work, is marking 40 years of cross community efforts.
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Two neighbours divided by Belfast peace wall turn barriers into friendship

Physical wall turns short distance into long walk Lily Brannon, 73, and…

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