The last names of these youth have been kept private for safety reasons. If you would like to contribute something, please email!

 Laura, age 17:

    "ok well I'm Catholic, and have lived in Ballymena all my life. I recently
changed schools, and now go to a predominantly Protestant school, Ballymena
Academy. I went to St. Louis, but oh well. Being one of the only Catholics
in the school is somewhat hard because sometimes I'll hear things like if
there's a bomb threat somewhere, people in the school will say, "Ohhhh must be
some of the IRA or another Catholic group." Also I live in a Catholic part of
town, whereas most of my friends don't....There's always been a
threat of danger whenever you go out. I've been aware of this ever since I
was small. It's just that there has been so much tragedy, like bombs and
shootings, and everything like that. Everyone is so bitter, not so much the
young people, but we're learning to be bitter from our parents, and will be
exactly like them when were older. Even some of my classmates now are already
part of different organizations like the IRA, UVF, and others......It's
strange because you hear about all these peace talks and how things might get
better, but I think that the fact is, is that it might get better, but I
don't think it will ever go away, because there has been too much damage done
already, and no one can let it go"

Paul, age unknown:

  "I have lived in the same house in Ballymena all my life. All the people around me my own age mainly are Protestants. Where we live it was only me and my little brother who were Catholics in the area. We had friends the same age who were all Protestants. When they felt like it they would start fights and pick on us because we were the only Catholics. This all happened when we were very young.
    "Now there are quite a few Catholic families moved in around the area, and I have Catholic friends and my brother has Catholic friends. We still also have some Protestant friends and they are Rangers supporters and I am a Celtic supporter but we are friends and have long [grown] out of the childhood differences.
    "Ballymena however is a well known Protestant town and I'm not friends with everybody. The bitterness and hatred is very high between the two communities and you can't go downtown with Celtic gear on without someone saying something. I personally have witnessed the problems in the past. Last year I played football for a team called Ballymena Shamrocks Football Club and wore the green and white hooped Celtic strip when playing. We played at Wakerhurst, which is a very loyalist area...They all wanted a kick at me and my teammates.
    "Also last year during the 12th of July there was a lot of trouble in the Dairy Road estate with rioting...I saw my friends, one of which lived right beside the rioting. We went into his house...and saw a Rangers man just about to throw a petrol bomb at the police, but it went in the wrong direction and landed in my friend's garden right in front of us...They blew up telephone boxes and made road barricades and lit fires. It took a few days to calm down..."

Gemma, age unknown:

  "I've heard some reactions of Americans to "The Troubles" but I've never been in the country where I am the stranger, I would find it very interesting to see their response. In Northern Ireland, when you meet a stranger you may find yourself wondering what religion they are, some people even think there is a physical trait or a way that you speak. This isn't really because you don't like their religion, it's just that most people have learnt to emphasize on people's backgrounds and they find it hard to break the habit."
 

Emma, 17:

"I feel the problems in Northern Ireland will never be resolved as both sides
believe that they and only they are right. I'm a Catholic and go to a 95%
Protestant school and feel the bitterness everyday. People here forget that
there are Catholic Pupils and speak their feeling openly, I often find myself
in uncomfortable situations and as they forget I am a Catholic I can see what
they exactly think of us and it isn't pretty. The main problem in this country
is the passing on of bitterness. Children are taught to hate and stand up for
their views taught by their parents no matter what. The only way to solve the
problem is to get the youth of the country to stop hating, as they are the
future!"
 
 
 
 
 
 

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