Bridging the gap in Northern Ireland

LACKAWAXEN n Sitting on a porch on a warm and sunny day in scenic Lackawaxen thousands of miles away from home, Shakeira McIlmoyle and Nicole McLaughlinn greeted and befriended various people at a welcoming party thrown by their host, Carole Orleman. A month later, the two girls have returned home with an experience of a lifetime and a passion to make a difference, thanks to the Children’s Friendship Project of Northern Ireland and one local peace crusader. Shakeira and Nicole are very much alike. They have many of the same interests, laugh at the same jokes, and often finish each other’s sentences. But one is Catholic, and the other Protestant. In America, that wouldn’t get any special attention. Coming from Northern Ireland, however, it would have been almost unheard of just a few short decades ago. The sectarian hostilities have recently been quelled in that part of the globe largely in part to a more stable government, but there are still a lot of bad feelings and mistrust, Orleman explained. Bridging this gap in the country’s youth in order for a more hopeful future is the goal of the program, and it took very little convincing to get Orleman on board. Don’t let the German name fool you; Orleman said her grandparents immigrated here from Ireland following the Great Potato Famine. She recalls hearing stories of the Catholic versus Protestant violence growing up and, interested in her heritage, also read much about it in several books. In the past, Orleman took in a few Catholic children from Ireland who were in unfortunate circumstances for periods of time. She said she always thought to herself how great it would be if she could take two in at a time, from both religions, in order to teach them tolerance and peace. Some twenty years later, she got her wish. Both Irish teens who stayed with her are from County Derry, the pronunciation of which has even been historically debated by the two religions. Each was recommended by a teacher and eventually accepted into the program, making them 2 of 72 participants to come to the United States this summer. The girls said it took some adjustment, some of which worked in their favor, such as the currency conversion, and some of which did not, such as the relatively warm and dry weather. Nonetheless, within a matter of few weeks, they saw much of the dynamics of America, from the natural beauty of Bushkill Falls to the urban diversity of New York City. The two 17 year-olds agreed that the situation is getting better in Ireland, but still witness the remaining hostile sentiment. They both go to integrated schools, but they said many of their friends do not. From time to time they also still hear about religious violence. This trip, they said, will serve as a learning experience to try to end that division, from the standpoint of a new generation. But they were not the only ones who learned a lesson. “I just kept thinking to myself how alike the girls were and how they got along so well. It reinforced my belief that most of these wars, when they are based on religious factions, no different than in Iraq, are just terrible, awful, and for lack of a better word, stupid,” Orleman asserted. Both girls remain optimistic in bringing about a lasting peace, and plan on spreading the word about their experience to the youth in Ireland. “It is people like Carole who make this happen, and we are very happy and appreciative,” McIlmoyle said. Orleman said she never underestimates the influence of one person in making a difference in the world. “That’s how peace comes about - by individuals doing whatever they can.” For more information about the program and to find out about hosting teens from Ireland, visit www.cfpni.org.