Ireland Journal 5

Imagine a city torn apart by civil strife. A city where the yellow flames of violence burn the street on a daily basis. The routine clashes between British troops and the IRA (Irish Republican Army) is darkly referred to as the "evening matinée." Barrels of vinegar lay out on the street as numerous as garbage bins; the vinegar helps to counteract the effects of tear gas. Car bombs echo across the city like thunder without lightning. The residents of the city claim it is an occupation, while the oppressors say they are merely trying to keep the peace. The city I am talking about is Derry during the period of time from 1968-1998, a period given the name of "The Troubles." But first, let me tell you about how I came to be traveling about The North of Ireland in the first place.

Last summer I spent some time in Italy, and while in Rome I met a lad named Ryan from Northern Ireland. Since both of us were traveling by ourselves, we became fast friends. Fast forward about a year later and I'm traveling to Northern Ireland to pay him a visit, and photograph the political art/graffiti in the area. For those of you who don't know why political expression is so important in the North, here's a quick history lesson:

Ireland is divided into two separate countries, The Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom, which is great because the Irish absolutely love the English. In fact, the Irish love the English so much that they tried for generations to throw off the yolk of British oppression, and finally succeeded in July of 1921 with the signing of the Anglo-Irish treaty. But just like George W. Bush in the 2000 US presidential election, England was a sore loser. Instead of giving Ireland complete independence as a free Republic, they made them swear an oath of loyalty to the British crown and retained control of six counties in the North. This splitting of the country spawned a bloody civil war in the Republic of Ireland and an awesome movie starring Liam Neeson.

Considering the bloody history surrounding the creation of Northern Ireland, political expression is very important in the North. However, my investigation into political expression in Northern Ireland would have to wait until after my time with Ryan. I went to Portstewart, where Ryan lives, to watch an annual motorcycle race known as the NW 200, and to meet cute Irish girls...but that just goes without saying.

The NW 200 is one of the largest sporting events in Northern Ireland, where motorcyclists race at speeds faster than British Petroleum's stock is currently plummeting. In fact, I think I still have as much whiplash as Bill Clinton does after a runway model convention. While in Portstewart I stayed with Ryan, his parents, and Ryan's younger brother. His family was very hospitable and I very much enjoyed staying with them.

From the perspective of a political scientist, one of the most interesting facets about staying with Ryan is the fact that his mother is a Protestant and his father is a Catholic. Now unlike most religious groups who hate each other because they are essentially preaching the exact same message, the conflict between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland has more of a historical context. Historically speaking, Protestants have been aligned with the pro-British loyalists and the Catholics have sided with the Republicans - who desire a unified and independent Irish state. Perhaps because of these religious differences, Ryan's family has a very open minded attitude. After spending the previous several months studying the Northern Ireland conflict, it was amazing to hear stories from Ryan's parents about their experiences during "The Troubles." And once I left Portstewart to head to Derry, I would hear even more firsthand accounts involving violent clashes between British troops and protesters.

Derry is one of the most interesting cities that I have ever been to. Not only does it have three names depending on one's political affiliation - Derry, Londonderry, and Freederry - but the art in the area is amazing. During "The Troubles," the area known as the bogside was a constant tumultuous mess; British troops would clash with protesters almost daily. There are numerous murals that have been painted in the bogside, but one mural in particular strikes a very emotional chord. The mural is a painting of a fourteen year old girl named Annette McGavigan. She was shot dead on September 6th, 1971 by crossfire between British troops and the IRA. She was simply walking home from school. One of the three bogside artists, Kevin Hasson, is a cousin of this girl. I had the fortune of meeting him while in Derry, and had the privilege of hearing his tale of growing up during "The Troubles." Apparently, much of the aggression between the protesters and the British was the result of teenage bravado, and the dangers of the time were just the normal circumstances that people lived with.

While walking along the old city walls I stopped to talk with an older Irish gentleman by the name of Paddy. Yes...that is a very stereotypical Irish name. But he also has never had a single drop of alcohol in his life, so I suppose you just trade one stereotype for another. Paddy told me of his time during "The Troubles," and said that the Catholic neighborhoods could be compared to ghettos in large American cities such as New York. Part of the reason that violence was such a problem in Derry was because of the unfair economic and social conditions that Catholics were forced into.

Another aspect of the city that I found interesting were the numerous paintings about the situation in Gaza. It seems that with the history of oppression in Derry, they can sympathize with the plight of the Palestinians better than others.