The Younger Generation

All the people we have met with so far have been of a generation older than us (by us I mean, the students) that went through the Troubles. This makes perfect sense for our course, but I was curious to understand what the life of the younger generation was like after the Troubles and the way in which they viewed the conflict. While visiting different bars and clubs in Derry, I met two best friends named Christian and Orlagh.

While Christian and Orlagh aren’t from Derry, they did both grow up in Northern Ireland in predominately Catholic areas (Limavady and Drumsurn) and now both identify as being atheists. Christian went to three different schools going up, St Columb, St. Mary’s and Limavady Grammar School. I was immediately interested in Limavady because he mentioned that it was an integrated school. I asked the percentage rate of the school and he estimated that it was about 30% Catholics and 70% Protestants. He told me that he experienced a lot of sectarianism during his time at Limavady by the teachers more so than the students. He said that the racism he experienced was from a generation that was hurt by the Troubles, their parents and grandparents war. I asked if students bullied each other for being different and he responded that it was mostly jokes. However, when Catholic and Protestant holidays such as St. Patrick’s Day and 12 July were approaching, the tensions grew higher amongst youngsters.

Orlagh had a different experience, she went to all Catholic schools, her entire life and told me she had never known you could be anything but Catholic until secondary school. After this realization she began questioning everything in her life, since one can be more than just Catholic. She said she had some cross-community experience, which meant for certain classes she went to the Protestant school nearby since she couldn’t take the courses she wanted to at her school.

They met at St. Mary’s and have been good friends ever since, bonding through shared experiences and love of tv shows. I asked if they both believed in a United Ireland and they said yes and that they have hope that it will happen in their generation.