Corrymeela
A party of 19 visited the Corrymeela Centre at Ballycastle on the North Antrim coast over the first weekend in March. Our purpose was to gain first hand experience of this Christian community’s work for Reconciliation and Harmony in Northern Ireland.
We heard about the background to ‘the Troubles’ of 1969-94 when many people lost their lives in Sectarian Strife. We had a fascinating tour around the walls of Derry and understood more of the hatred, violence and divisions of recent times. As it turned out our guide John McCourt had been on the Bogside on Bloody Sunday January 1972 when 13 people were shot by the Army. We listened spellbound to his eye witness account as he described those 18 minutes that are indelibly etched on his memory. What was even more impressive, however, was his determination to work for peace and justice rather than seek revenge. John is now well known in Derry as a mediator between those who, from both communities, have not been able to put the past behind them.
It was an unforgettable experience for everyone in the group.