“Arrived I did, with 60 quid, in Derry where the wind does blow. I drank and I danced, and happily I glanced, at the Guinness as it did flow.”- Nikolis Clark
To be honest I have no clue how I can properly talk about my experience here in Northern Ireland. While in Derry I have worn many hats, I have been a student from America, I have been the guest haunting the lobby of the Maldron at all hours talking to his girlfriend, and I have been a bit of an odd character running around from pub to pub talking to locals. I have met police, terrorists, victims, musicians, charity workers, community builders, and regular locals living their lives. Yet most importantly, I met people. No matter the side of a conflict or the role, we are all people and that is something that I have really thought about during my stay in Northern Ireland. What I have found here is a beautiful community filled with many beautiful people.
As a writer, I often think to myself that around everyone is countless story lines. Be it the married folk flirting with those they are not wed to, or the professors herding students through the lobby, or the American sitting in the lobby at all hours of the morning and night, the Maldron served as the backdrop for many of these story lines. The Hotel itself though modernized, exuded the phantoms of stories long forgotten. It was not uncommon to see a regular at the Lyric, the lobby bar, nor was it uncommon to never see another guest again. I often enjoyed being a night’n denizen of the hotel. The place holds a special place in my heart and I am glad to have spent my time there.
For me this trip marked a new part of my life. I have spent the last decade struggling with severe depression and I never thought I would make it this far from the suicidal teenager that I once was. I celebrated my 22nd birthday in Derry, an event that I never really thought I would reach when I was younger. To be honest when I turned 21, I didn’t have much faith in me reaching 22. After a lot of personal work on myself and the seeking of professional help, I have reached a good place. It is with this in mind that I am thankful to all the trip goers, and the staff at Holywell that made this birthday so special. I never thought I would get here and I am so happy that I could spend my birthday with such amazing people. It all meant a lot to me.
Finally in my time here I learned that I was wrong. I always thought that sometimes violence is necessary for the progress towards peace. It was in my time working with the amazing people here that I came to realize the error of my ways. It was in the stories of these people that I came to understand that the path to end the conflict in Northern Ireland must be forged with a peaceful and persistent hand.
SOCI 387 Diversity, Conflict, and Peace in Northern Ireland 