sluggerotoole--2020-04-25--Coronavirus: A chance to reshape our roads for the future…

The coronavirus pandemic has affected life in Northern Ireland in unprecedented ways .
Thousands have becoming infected and hundreds have died , devastating families and communities .
Lockdown has changed how go about daily business in ways that we would have thought unbelievable at the start of 2020 .
One of the very few positives to emerge has been the general outdoor environment , especially in my city Belfast .
Vehicle traffic is almost non-existent compared to normal .
People out exercising dander down the middle of residential streets without fear .
Cycling has boomed as people wobble out onto @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time in years .
Noise from traffic has left birdsong to dominate and the air is sweet and clear of pollutants .
Families walk and cycle in groups , spending precious time bonding .
Before coronavirus , vehicle dominance and congestion in Belfast was a daily reality , and very little of this was possible .
At the last count , 70 % of all journeys in Northern Ireland are taken by car , while less than a quarter of all journeys were taken by walking , cycling or public transport .
Despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decades , these proportions have remained stubbornly stable .
Roads are empty now , but when lockdown begins to be lifted , there are fears ( and troubling indicators from China ) that people will make more journeys by car than before .
People may shun the close contact of public transport .
Commuter car sharing outside family members will plummet .
All indications at present are that we will be living with this virus and some forms of restrictions on daily life for perhaps 2 to 3 years .
Traffic is likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much quicker , but with most of us having experienced a different way of life since this crisis began , do we want to return to the old normal or do we want to cling on some of the better experience that lockdown life has afforded us ?
Other cities planning for emergence from lockdown are actively seek a “ better normal ” based around initial social distancing needs and enabling more active travel in the long term , including : Can Belfast and other urban areas in the north do the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an article on bikefast.org from August 2019 about how a road diet for Belfast could be used as an immediate action to form part of our climate change response .
It ’ s just as applicable now to reshape our city streets for the changed post-lockdown world that ’ s anticipated .
It can provide more space for cycling and walking , reducing conflicts on our pavements and fully prioritise our bus services in the way Glider has only hinted at .
Simply put , a road diet is slimming down bloated carriageways @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vehicle use ( movement and storage ) to free up that space for better walking , cycling and public transport infrastructure .
The Belfast on the Move changes to Chichester Street offer a good example , albeit the opportunity to extend the footways was missed : Road diet example – before ( three vehicle lanes ) Road diet example – after ( one vehicle lane and one bus lane ) This is a combined carrot and stick approach – actively enabling and forcing modal shift in spatial terms .
Take the roll out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another practical example of where a road diet has happened in Belfast .
Before there were bus lanes along less than 1/3 of the route , afterwards that rose to 3/4 .
General vehicles lanes were cut by more than 2km , restricting the space for private vehicles at the same time as upgrading public transport .
But road diets aren ’ t just about bus priority .
Belfast ’ s lower density suburbs mean buses won ’ t be the whole answer to the sustainable transport question .
Cycling offers a fast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ small city , but it needs dedicated space and routes that don ’ t exist today .
Pavements in places are too tight , reduced to cater for bloated carriageways , parking bays , cluttered with A boards , or subject to unnecessary pavement parking .
What would a road diet for the whole of Belfast look like ?
The starting point is to recognise that Belfast is such a small city that any major arterial street with more than a single vehicle lane in each direction is an extravagance that encourages people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ street in Belfast needs to be wider than 1+1 general vehicle lanes , other than : Where additional space is available ( additional vehicles lanes , wide single carriageways used for car parking , etc ) it should be prioritised for bus lanes , protected cycleways and better footways .
Even with a half decent bus system or a serviceable cycle routes , if you continue to make it easy , convenient , cheap and cheerful to drive everywhere in a city , people will still drive everywhere .
Let ’ s leave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bus lanes there have already been deployed to nudge cross-city trips around the inner ring .
What about the arterial routes , the main thoroughfares , between inner ring and outer ring ?
We looked at the 21 main arterial routes of the city , mostly starting at the inner ring roads or motorway interchanges and finishing at the A55 Outer Ring .
The outrage generated by headlines and phone-in shows is disproportionate to the actual percentage of road space taken up by bus lanes across the city .
In fact , if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and country bound lanes of our 21 arterial streets , bus lanes count for just 15 % .
Or to put it another way , private vehicle space accounts for 85 % of arterial lanes ( and more , given that bus lanes operate only during peak hours , outside of Glider routes ) .
Across the city there ’ s also a remarkable 13km of median reservations , or central hatched lanes , used variously for separation or turning pockets .
Any argument for safety could easily be turned around to say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same outcomes .
Regardless , the primary effect is to hoard mostly unused space to ensure traffic progression – another incentive to drive – when it could be quickly repurposed for those cycling and walking .
Protected cycleways account for 0 % on Belfast ’ s arterial streets at present .
Zero kilometres .
Sure , there are stretches of advisory cycle lanes on many arterial streets , but as unenforceable paint which cars are free to drive on and park over , they count for nothing .
Take an example of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It starts as a crawl in rush hour along the 1+1 Castlereagh Street , expanding to a 1+2 ( with a lengthy inbound bus lane ) and finishes as an extravagant five lane carriageway with partial bus lanes and a mostly unproductive central hatched lane .
Generous lane widths on Castlereagh Street and outbound as far as Grand Parade mean a protected cycleway is possible , while the 5 lanes on to the Outer Ring can be reconfigured to add 2 way bus lanes and a wide protected cycleway .
Around the 21 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be better prioritised for bus transport , some for cycling – depending on street widths , residential density and other factors .
The overall effect in terms of road space balance would be profound if a road diet was quickly implemented .
From the current balance of 15 % bus lanes to 85 % vehicle lanes ( including central hatching areas ) , it would tip to just under half of lanes dedicated to general traffic , bus lanes doubled to 29 % and protected cycleways lifted from zero to 22 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drive , or want to drive , you can drive .
If you can take the bus , you ’ ll be spirited past the traffic .
If you can cycle , you ’ ll finally be able do it in peace and safety .
Where pavements can be widened , pedestrians will benefit from better walking routes with social distancing space .
Implementing this type of road diet in isolation could have huge negative consequences .
This constriction of space for vehicles could displace traffic onto residential streets without complementary work to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happens outside the Outer Ring , work to increase park and ride facilities would be crucial to get travellers onto ( now highly prioritised ) bus routes to the city centre .
And Belfast does not have orbital bus routes at present – these would need to be implemented immediately to provide city residents with a viable alternative to car travel .
But encourage a mass shift to alternative transport – for commuting , leisure , school runs , shopping , accessing healthcare – and we could fundamentally rework the city to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stem environmental damage .
Let ’ s make the change before the old normal reasserts itself With the pandemic meaning little traffic right now , and only incremental increases over the coming months , we can shape urban streets right now for how we want them to operate with a better balance in the future .
In normal circumstances , road diet changes would mean more private car congestion in the short term .
But the slow re-emergence from lockdown will soften those effects .
A Glider level of journey reliability would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as infection control measures , it ’ s important that public transport is made as attractive as possible to ensure car traffic doesn ’ t clog up Belfast in worse ways than before coronavirus .
Thousands of people across the city have already switched to cycling on quiet residential and arterial streets .
Those gains will be lost if safe infrastructure isn ’ t provided to make cycling viable as a normal activity .
Residential side streets which act as rat runs can be closed to through traffic quickly and effectively .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ service vehicles , but leaves the calmer environment which is seeing a blooming of walking and jogging along empty carriageways .
Climate change has not gone away during this pandemic , and our need to permanently alter our daily habits is still there .
While we ’ re currently living life in a way which goes far beyond the changes needed to mitigate the worst effects of carbon emissions on global temperatures , we can craft our streets to ensure a new , better normal on the other side of coronavirus .
See @ @ @ @ @ @ @ example road diet diagrams for every arterial street in Belfast .
What changes do you want to see to roads and streets where you live , whether in urban or rural settings ?

Jonathan Hobbs is a cycling campaigner from Belfast
The coronavirus pandemic has affected life in Northern Ireland in unprecedented ways. Thousands have becoming infected and hundreds have died, devastating families and communities. Lockdown has changed how go about daily business in ways that we would have thought unbelievable at the start of 2020.
One of the very few positives to emerge has been the general outdoor environment, especially in my city Belfast. Vehicle traffic is almost non-existent compared to normal. People out exercising dander down the middle of residential streets without fear. Cycling has boomed as people wobble out onto quiet streets, many for the first time in years. Noise from traffic has left birdsong to dominate and the air is sweet and clear of pollutants. Families walk and cycle in groups, spending precious time bonding.
Before coronavirus, vehicle dominance and congestion in Belfast was a daily reality, and very little of this was possible.
At the last count, 70% of all journeys in Northern Ireland are taken by car, while less than a quarter of all journeys were taken by walking, cycling or public transport. Despite various government targets over the last two decades, these proportions have remained stubbornly stable.
Roads are empty now, but when lockdown begins to be lifted, there are fears (and troubling indicators from China) that people will make more journeys by car than before. People may shun the close contact of public transport. Commuter car sharing outside family members will plummet.
All indications at present are that we will be living with this virus and some forms of restrictions on daily life for perhaps 2 to 3 years. Traffic is likely to return to “normal” levels much quicker, but with most of us having experienced a different way of life since this crisis began, do we want to return to the old normal or do we want to cling on some of the better experience that lockdown life has afforded us?
Other cities planning for emergence from lockdown are actively seek a “better normal” based around initial social distancing needs and enabling more active travel in the long term, including:
Can Belfast and other urban areas in the north do the same? This is a shortened version of an article on bikefast.org from August 2019 about how a road diet for Belfast could be used as an immediate action to form part of our climate change response.
It’s just as applicable now to reshape our city streets for the changed post-lockdown world that’s anticipated. It can provide more space for cycling and walking, reducing conflicts on our pavements and fully prioritise our bus services in the way Glider has only hinted at.
What is a road diet?
Simply put, a road diet is slimming down bloated carriageways to proactively reduce the space for general vehicle use (movement and storage) to free up that space for better walking, cycling and public transport infrastructure.
The Belfast on the Move changes to Chichester Street offer a good example, albeit the opportunity to extend the footways was missed:
Road diet example – before (three vehicle lanes)
Road diet example – after (one vehicle lane and one bus lane)
This is a combined carrot and stick approach – actively enabling and forcing modal shift in spatial terms.
Take the roll out of Glider on the Falls Road as another practical example of where a road diet has happened in Belfast.
Before there were bus lanes along less than 1/3 of the route, afterwards that rose to 3/4. General vehicles lanes were cut by more than 2km, restricting the space for private vehicles at the same time as upgrading public transport.
But road diets aren’t just about bus priority. Belfast’s lower density suburbs mean buses won’t be the whole answer to the sustainable transport question. Cycling offers a fast and easy way to move about our small city, but it needs dedicated space and routes that don’t exist today. Pavements in places are too tight, reduced to cater for bloated carriageways, parking bays, cluttered with A boards, or subject to unnecessary pavement parking.
What would a road diet for the whole of Belfast look like?
The starting point is to recognise that Belfast is such a small city that any major arterial street with more than a single vehicle lane in each direction is an extravagance that encourages people to actively choose to drive.
No street in Belfast needs to be wider than 1+1 general vehicle lanes, other than:
A55 Outer Ring
Westlink
M1, M2, M3
Sydenham Bypass
Where additional space is available (additional vehicles lanes, wide single carriageways used for car parking, etc) it should be prioritised for bus lanes, protected cycleways and better footways.
Even with a half decent bus system or a serviceable cycle routes, if you continue to make it easy, convenient, cheap and cheerful to drive everywhere in a city, people will still drive everywhere.
Let’s leave the city centre aside for now – bus lanes there have already been deployed to nudge cross-city trips around the inner ring. What about the arterial routes, the main thoroughfares, between inner ring and outer ring?
We looked at the 21 main arterial routes of the city, mostly starting at the inner ring roads or motorway interchanges and finishing at the A55 Outer Ring.
The outrage generated by headlines and phone-in shows is disproportionate to the actual percentage of road space taken up by bus lanes across the city. In fact, if you combine all of the city bound and country bound lanes of our 21 arterial streets, bus lanes count for just 15%.
Or to put it another way, private vehicle space accounts for 85% of arterial lanes (and more, given that bus lanes operate only during peak hours, outside of Glider routes).
Across the city there’s also a remarkable 13km of median reservations, or central hatched lanes, used variously for separation or turning pockets. Any argument for safety could easily be turned around to say speed limit reductions to 20mph could achieve the same outcomes. Regardless, the primary effect is to hoard mostly unused space to ensure traffic progression – another incentive to drive – when it could be quickly repurposed for those cycling and walking.
Protected cycleways account for 0% on Belfast’s arterial streets at present. Zero kilometres. Sure, there are stretches of advisory cycle lanes on many arterial streets, but as unenforceable paint which cars are free to drive on and park over, they count for nothing.
Take an example of the Castlereagh Road in East Belfast. It starts as a crawl in rush hour along the 1+1 Castlereagh Street, expanding to a 1+2 (with a lengthy inbound bus lane) and finishes as an extravagant five lane carriageway with partial bus lanes and a mostly unproductive central hatched lane.
Generous lane widths on Castlereagh Street and outbound as far as Grand Parade mean a protected cycleway is possible, while the 5 lanes on to the Outer Ring can be reconfigured to add 2 way bus lanes and a wide protected cycleway.
Around the 21 arterial streets of the city, some will be better prioritised for bus transport, some for cycling – depending on street widths, residential density and other factors.
The overall effect in terms of road space balance would be profound if a road diet was quickly implemented.
From the current balance of 15% bus lanes to 85% vehicle lanes (including central hatching areas), it would tip to just under half of lanes dedicated to general traffic, bus lanes doubled to 29% and protected cycleways lifted from zero to 22% of arterial lanes.
If you must drive, or want to drive, you can drive. If you can take the bus, you’ll be spirited past the traffic. If you can cycle, you’ll finally be able do it in peace and safety. Where pavements can be widened, pedestrians will benefit from better walking routes with social distancing space.
Implementing this type of road diet in isolation could have huge negative consequences. This constriction of space for vehicles could displace traffic onto residential streets without complementary work to cut rat runs. As for what happens outside the Outer Ring, work to increase park and ride facilities would be crucial to get travellers onto (now highly prioritised) bus routes to the city centre. And Belfast does not have orbital bus routes at present – these would need to be implemented immediately to provide city residents with a viable alternative to car travel.
But encourage a mass shift to alternative transport – for commuting, leisure, school runs, shopping, accessing healthcare – and we could fundamentally rework the city to a healthier place which does its bit to stem environmental damage.
Let’s make the change before the old normal reasserts itself
With the pandemic meaning little traffic right now, and only incremental increases over the coming months, we can shape urban streets right now for how we want them to operate with a better balance in the future.
In normal circumstances, road diet changes would mean more private car congestion in the short term. But the slow re-emergence from lockdown will soften those effects.
A Glider level of journey reliability would be replicated across Belfast instantly. As well as infection control measures, it’s important that public transport is made as attractive as possible to ensure car traffic doesn’t clog up Belfast in worse ways than before coronavirus.
Thousands of people across the city have already switched to cycling on quiet residential and arterial streets. Those gains will be lost if safe infrastructure isn’t provided to make cycling viable as a normal activity.
Residential side streets which act as rat runs can be closed to through traffic quickly and effectively. This retains access for residents’ vehicles and service vehicles, but leaves the calmer environment which is seeing a blooming of walking and jogging along empty carriageways.
Climate change has not gone away during this pandemic, and our need to permanently alter our daily habits is still there. While we’re currently living life in a way which goes far beyond the changes needed to mitigate the worst effects of carbon emissions on global temperatures, we can craft our streets to ensure a new, better normal on the other side of coronavirus.
See the original article on bikefast.org and download example road diet diagrams for every arterial street in Belfast.
What changes do you want to see to roads and streets where you live, whether in urban or rural settings?


sluggerotoole--2020-04-25--Busting the Historical Myths Conclusion: The Battle of the Boyne…

Firstly I would like to extend a massive thank you to the Slugger O ’ Toole users who have responded to my articles .
This series has been an attempt to stimulate debate and hopefully be an accurate interpretation of events which have become more myth than truth in many ways .
For my final article I thought I would focus on the most famous Battle in Irish history which ironically was a Battle between two Kings of England with European significance- the Battle of the Boyne .
This battle has become the central event in the Loyal Orders calendar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their website does try to reflect the true nature of the Battle itself without however venturing too deeply into the aftermath .
Amongst the general populace a myth tends to endure , namely that the Battle of the Boyne was the great victory of the rule of law and representative Government over tyranny and absolutism and a victory which led to the Protestant Ascendency in Ireland .
But why has the Boyne taken on such significance and glamour when it was a largely indecisive encounter amongst a continuous campaign ?
And did the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and religious liberty and the defeat of tyranny ?
James II acceded to the throne in 1685 and he was quite well aware of the suspicions held against him as the first Catholic monarch in 127 years .
He would face a brief rising which was easily crushed .
However within a year of taking power James would prorogue Parliament after it disagreed with his exempting of Catholics from the Test Act and he would then embark upon a radical change of policy with the Declaration of Indulgence in 1687 .
This effectively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Presbyterians , indeed Catholics were given offices in Government and even positions within the Army .
Richard Talbot , Earl of Tyrconnell would be appointed Deputy of Ireland .
Talbot a Catholic was part of the ‘ Old ’ English Pale society and would fill his administration with Catholics and would also admit Catholics into the army .
This raised fears of Protestants in Ireland fearful of a takeover and of possibly facing a repeat of 1641 .
Eventually when James wife had a son and heir in 1688 factions within the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ powers to affect a takeover .
The throne was offered to William of Orange , Stadholder of the Netherlands who duly accepted and landed in England with a strong Dutch Army .
Most interestingly was that William was in dire need of English support in his war against Louis XIV of France .
As head of a Grand Coalition William would even garner the support of the Pope who was fearful of Louis expansionism .
So it was that William was declared King .
However contrary to popular belief only a small cabal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his landing , indeed around one third of the army accompanied James into exile .
Of the other two thirds a significant proportion either returned home with their weapons or would be vetted over the winter by John Churchill with many dismissed as unreliable .
William ’ s wife who ironically was James daughter Mary and a Protestant would be Queen .
However it would be as late as February before William was made King and the Convention Parliament had actually resisted it for months : indeed they would only accept him with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to return to Holland .
Tyrconnell remained in place in Ireland and the Jacobites there had moved quickly to secure fortified towns and declare James the rightful King in Ireland .
James himself would arrive in Ireland in March 1689 setting up his court in Dublin Castle .
Initially he brought with him a cadre of high ranking officers , a few engineers and officer cadets .
An Irish Parliament would be called in May and it would be a Catholic Jacobite Parliament .
Notably however Anglican Bishops would still sit in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ address what were seen as Catholic grievances in Ireland , namely overturning the Cromwellian land settlement restoring all lands to Catholics confiscated since the 1650 ’ s , removing discrimination against both Catholic and Presbyterians and announcing a declaratory act giving the Irish Parliament greater Independence .
This whole period although in essence a fight between two Kings for one throne must also be seen in its wider European context .
Indeed the Battle of the Boyne could well be seen to be a totally insignificant event in that regard .
France was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was concerned by the Habsburg ruler , the Holy Roman Emperor who commanded a large area around France .
The war in Europe was France ’ s attempt to make inroads into this Habsburg encirclement .
To this end the French were attempting to bog William down in Ireland fighting against Jacobite forces there .
Despite French support for James their real concern was not Catholicism in Ireland but diverting William ’ s attention away from the war in Europe .
However William initially sent his Dutch General , Schomberg to Ireland to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jacobites had been displaced from Ulster after the relief of Derry and defeat at Newtonbutler .
What followed were a few months of skirmishing and indecisive encircling from both sides in Dundalk .
In the end William decided he would come to Ireland personally and put down the resistance himself .
Schomberg had made clear in his letters to William that overwhelming odds would be needed to fight James .
William duly landed in Carrigfergus in June 1690 .
William would personally lead his army south to march on Dublin .
James army @ @ @ @ @ @ @ path and so the two would face off at the River Boyne , just outside Drogheda .
The Battle of the Boyne was fought on 1st July but due to a calendar change from the Julian to the Gregorian it would fall on 12th July from 1752 onwards .
It would be painted as two Kings facing off across one river to win control of the three Kingdoms .
Although at places during the Battle there had been some tough fighting for the most part the Battle was not particularly bloody nor did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Jacobite forces .
Indeed the Jacobites retreated in good order thanks to the determined counter attacks mounted by the renowned Jacobite calvary .
The Battle was significant in one respect- it predicated a seeming loss of confidence by James who would within a few days be sailing from Duncannon to France .
A day before the Battle of the Boyne however the English and Dutch navies had been badly defeated at the Battle of Beachy Head and the French fleets now controlled the English Channel .
It is mere speculation on my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen as a chance to outflank William who would be preoccupied in Ireland and possibly stranded .
James did appeal to Louis to invade England but the French did not press home the advantage .
It may be worth discussion .
As it was James flight led to a different war emerging in Ireland .
The Jacobite forces would fall back to a defensive line in the West and William would enter Dublin victorious on 27th July .
The Jacobites however at this stage were much more interested in safeguarding any gains they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restoring James to the throne .
William would march west to Limerick were the town was besieged but not before Patrick Sarsfield , who would go on to achieve legendary status as a Jacobite leader led an ambush destroying their artillery train .
At Limerick William ’ s troops would encounter fierce resistance and around 3,000 of the Danish and Dutch troops would be killed .
William withdrew his forces east and would leave Ireland for England leaving his forces under the command of Godert Van Ginkel , a Dutch General .
French @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late 1690 and the French Commander the Marquis of St. Ruth would arrive with more troops .
This would eventually lead to the truly defining battle in Ireland at that period , the Battle of Aughrim on 12th July 1691 .
The Battle of Aughrim is the less well known of the two battles as the Boyne overshadows it .
This was however a much more bloody and eventually decisive affair although it lacked the glamour of two Kings on opposite sides .
It was fought with much more intensity however and hung @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day .
Eventually the Jacobite commander St. Ruth was killed- decapitated by a cannonball and his forces over run and eventually routed .
It was a crushing defeat and resulted in the Jacobite army falling back westwards eventually reaching Limerick .
Here the Williamites would besiege the inhabitants for several months before Patrick Sarsfield would oust the French leaders and negotiate surrender .
That resulted in the Treaty of Limerick .
There had been a Treaty at Galway two weeks after the Aughrim defeat ; however the Treaty at Limerick was less desirable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It would contain 28 articles covering both civil and military clauses .
Indeed the Jacobite forces were offered passage to France , of which around 14,000 accepted .
More importantly however was the civil articles however which provided for those Catholic ’ s remaining in Ireland to retain their property , practice their trades or professions , bear arms and retain religious freedom as were consistent with the laws of Ireland or as they had enjoyed under Charles II .
One wonders then after all this why the Boyne takes such significance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an orderly and humane fashion with a peace treaty and favourable terms to the defeated forces long after the Battle of the Boyne .
Indeed William had little interest in Ireland bar preventing James using it as a springboard to reclaim his throne .
One also wonders at its significance when the Parliament in Ireland which would be recalled in 1692 would water down and disregard the Treaty of Limerick .
This Protestant Parliament would however be dominated by Anglicans and in the years that followed the Penal laws would be extended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ civil liberties .
What is more is that Presbyterians would also suffer under the Penal laws and face discrimination throughout the following century .
The Protestant Ascendancy which emerged in Ireland would have a near monopoly of landed property and influence over Government matters .
Did , as the narrative suggests , William ’ s victory signal ‘ victory over the despotic power which laid the foundation of Constitutional Democracy in the British Isles ’ , or was the victory a pyrrhic one for all but the Anglican elite .
Indeed if one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expensive wars and thus required tax revenue to fund them his continuous calling of Parliament can be seen in a different light .
The relaxing of the penal laws by James in both England and Ireland must also be worthy of discussion .
The Boyne has become a symbol of victory and even survival for the Loyal Orders but maybe in the end the victory at the Boyne is much overstated .
Maybe it was the Protestant Parliament of 1692 onwards which played a much more significant role in securing Protestantism in Ireland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Church over all others .
For Catholics it would symbol Perfidious Albion leading to the famous war cry which for years would dominate Nationalist emotions : I will end with what I think are definitive words from the great objective historian Theo Moody , “ History is a matter of facing the facts , however painful some of them may be .
Mythology is a way of refusing to face facts .
The study of history not only enlarges truth about our past , but opens the mind to ever new accessions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the obsession with myths , and especially the more destructive myths , perpetuates the closed mind ” .

Firstly I would like to extend a massive thank you to the Slugger O’Toole users who have responded to my articles. This series has been an attempt to stimulate debate and hopefully be an accurate interpretation of events which have become more myth than truth in many ways. For my final article I thought I would focus on the most famous Battle in Irish history which ironically was a Battle between two Kings of England with European significance- the Battle of the Boyne. This battle has become the central event in the Loyal Orders calendar. To be fair to the Orange their website does try to reflect the true nature of the Battle itself without however venturing too deeply into the aftermath. Amongst the general populace a myth tends to endure, namely that the Battle of the Boyne was the great victory of the rule of law and representative Government over tyranny and absolutism and a victory which led to the Protestant Ascendency in Ireland. But why has the Boyne taken on such significance and glamour when it was a largely indecisive encounter amongst a continuous campaign? And did the victory of King William really signal civil and religious liberty and the defeat of tyranny?
James II acceded to the throne in 1685 and he was quite well aware of the suspicions held against him as the first Catholic monarch in 127 years. He would face a brief rising which was easily crushed. However within a year of taking power James would prorogue Parliament after it disagreed with his exempting of Catholics from the Test Act and he would then embark upon a radical change of policy with the Declaration of Indulgence in 1687. This effectively offered religious toleration to all including Catholics and Presbyterians, indeed Catholics were given offices in Government and even positions within the Army. Richard Talbot, Earl of Tyrconnell would be appointed Deputy of Ireland. Talbot a Catholic was part of the ‘Old’ English Pale society and would fill his administration with Catholics and would also admit Catholics into the army. This raised fears of Protestants in Ireland fearful of a takeover and of possibly facing a repeat of 1641.
Eventually when James wife had a son and heir in 1688 factions within the English Parliament began to conspire with foreign powers to affect a takeover. The throne was offered to William of Orange, Stadholder of the Netherlands who duly accepted and landed in England with a strong Dutch Army. Most interestingly was that William was in dire need of English support in his war against Louis XIV of France. As head of a Grand Coalition William would even garner the support of the Pope who was fearful of Louis expansionism.
So it was that William was declared King. However contrary to popular belief only a small cabal of the army leadership backed him on his landing, indeed around one third of the army accompanied James into exile. Of the other two thirds a significant proportion either returned home with their weapons or would be vetted over the winter by John Churchill with many dismissed as unreliable. William’s wife who ironically was James daughter Mary and a Protestant would be Queen. However it would be as late as February before William was made King and the Convention Parliament had actually resisted it for months: indeed they would only accept him with Mary by his side when he threatened to return to Holland.
Tyrconnell remained in place in Ireland and the Jacobites there had moved quickly to secure fortified towns and declare James the rightful King in Ireland. James himself would arrive in Ireland in March 1689 setting up his court in Dublin Castle. Initially he brought with him a cadre of high ranking officers, a few engineers and officer cadets. An Irish Parliament would be called in May and it would be a Catholic Jacobite Parliament. Notably however Anglican Bishops would still sit in the Lords. The Parliament took steps to address what were seen as Catholic grievances in Ireland, namely overturning the Cromwellian land settlement restoring all lands to Catholics confiscated since the 1650’s, removing discrimination against both Catholic and Presbyterians and announcing a declaratory act giving the Irish Parliament greater Independence.
This whole period although in essence a fight between two Kings for one throne must also be seen in its wider European context. Indeed the Battle of the Boyne could well be seen to be a totally insignificant event in that regard. France was the most formidable power in Europe but was concerned by the Habsburg ruler, the Holy Roman Emperor who commanded a large area around France. The war in Europe was France’s attempt to make inroads into this Habsburg encirclement. To this end the French were attempting to bog William down in Ireland fighting against Jacobite forces there. Despite French support for James their real concern was not Catholicism in Ireland but diverting William’s attention away from the war in Europe. However William initially sent his Dutch General, Schomberg to Ireland to put down the Jacobite resistance. The Jacobites had been displaced from Ulster after the relief of Derry and defeat at Newtonbutler. What followed were a few months of skirmishing and indecisive encircling from both sides in Dundalk. In the end William decided he would come to Ireland personally and put down the resistance himself. Schomberg had made clear in his letters to William that overwhelming odds would be needed to fight James. William duly landed in Carrigfergus in June 1690.
William would personally lead his army south to march on Dublin. James army would attempt to block William’s path and so the two would face off at the River Boyne, just outside Drogheda. The Battle of the Boyne was fought on 1st July but due to a calendar change from the Julian to the Gregorian it would fall on 12th July from 1752 onwards. It would be painted as two Kings facing off across one river to win control of the three Kingdoms. Although at places during the Battle there had been some tough fighting for the most part the Battle was not particularly bloody nor did it result in a disorderly withdrawal by the Jacobite forces. Indeed the Jacobites retreated in good order thanks to the determined counter attacks mounted by the renowned Jacobite calvary. The Battle was significant in one respect- it predicated a seeming loss of confidence by James who would within a few days be sailing from Duncannon to France. A day before the Battle of the Boyne however the English and Dutch navies had been badly defeated at the Battle of Beachy Head and the French fleets now controlled the English Channel. It is mere speculation on my part but maybe James flight could be seen as a chance to outflank William who would be preoccupied in Ireland and possibly stranded. James did appeal to Louis to invade England but the French did not press home the advantage. It may be worth discussion.
As it was James flight led to a different war emerging in Ireland. The Jacobite forces would fall back to a defensive line in the West and William would enter Dublin victorious on 27th July. The Jacobites however at this stage were much more interested in safeguarding any gains they had made via the Parliament rather than restoring James to the throne. William would march west to Limerick were the town was besieged but not before Patrick Sarsfield, who would go on to achieve legendary status as a Jacobite leader led an ambush destroying their artillery train. At Limerick William’s troops would encounter fierce resistance and around 3,000 of the Danish and Dutch troops would be killed. William withdrew his forces east and would leave Ireland for England leaving his forces under the command of Godert Van Ginkel, a Dutch General. French aid would arrive to the Jacobites in late 1690 and the French Commander the Marquis of St. Ruth would arrive with more troops. This would eventually lead to the truly defining battle in Ireland at that period, the Battle of Aughrim on 12th July 1691.
The Battle of Aughrim is the less well known of the two battles as the Boyne overshadows it. This was however a much more bloody and eventually decisive affair although it lacked the glamour of two Kings on opposite sides. It was fought with much more intensity however and hung in the balance for much of the day. Eventually the Jacobite commander St. Ruth was killed- decapitated by a cannonball and his forces over run and eventually routed. It was a crushing defeat and resulted in the Jacobite army falling back westwards eventually reaching Limerick. Here the Williamites would besiege the inhabitants for several months before Patrick Sarsfield would oust the French leaders and negotiate surrender. That resulted in the Treaty of Limerick. There had been a Treaty at Galway two weeks after the Aughrim defeat; however the Treaty at Limerick was less desirable although still fairly favourable to the Jacobites. It would contain 28 articles covering both civil and military clauses. Indeed the Jacobite forces were offered passage to France, of which around 14,000 accepted. More importantly however was the civil articles however which provided for those Catholic’s remaining in Ireland to retain their property, practice their trades or professions, bear arms and retain religious freedom as were consistent with the laws of Ireland or as they had enjoyed under Charles II.
One wonders then after all this why the Boyne takes such significance. The WIlliamite war in Ireland ended in an orderly and humane fashion with a peace treaty and favourable terms to the defeated forces long after the Battle of the Boyne. Indeed William had little interest in Ireland bar preventing James using it as a springboard to reclaim his throne. One also wonders at its significance when the Parliament in Ireland which would be recalled in 1692 would water down and disregard the Treaty of Limerick. This Protestant Parliament would however be dominated by Anglicans and in the years that followed the Penal laws would be extended signalling a destruction of Catholic political and civil liberties. What is more is that Presbyterians would also suffer under the Penal laws and face discrimination throughout the following century.
The Protestant Ascendancy which emerged in Ireland would have a near monopoly of landed property and influence over Government matters. Did, as the narrative suggests, William’s victory signal ‘victory over the despotic power which laid the foundation of Constitutional Democracy in the British Isles’, or was the victory a pyrrhic one for all but the Anglican elite. Indeed if one considers that William was involved in fighting expensive wars and thus required tax revenue to fund them his continuous calling of Parliament can be seen in a different light. The relaxing of the penal laws by James in both England and Ireland must also be worthy of discussion. The Boyne has become a symbol of victory and even survival for the Loyal Orders but maybe in the end the victory at the Boyne is much overstated. Maybe it was the Protestant Parliament of 1692 onwards which played a much more significant role in securing Protestantism in Ireland, even if it favoured the Anglican Church over all others. For Catholics it would symbol Perfidious Albion leading to the famous war cry which for years would dominate Nationalist emotions:
“Cuimhinígí ar Luimneach”. “Remember Limerick”.
I will end with what I think are definitive words from the great objective historian Theo Moody,
“History is a matter of facing the facts, however painful some of them may be. Mythology is a way of refusing to face facts. The study of history not only enlarges truth about our past, but opens the mind to ever new accessions of truth. On the other hand, the obsession with myths, and especially the more destructive myths, perpetuates the closed mind”.


sluggerotoole--2020-04-26--The Question of Taste, or lack thereof…

The Question of Taste, or lack thereof…

I remember the taste of that iced coffee as if it were only a few minutes ago yet it must be at least twenty years .
We were in Africa with friends who had invited us to join them on their time share , a compound with wild animals and a swimming pool .
On the way we stopped at a strange place that wasn ’ t a bar or a garage or a shop or anything really but it had seats and tables outside .
After a few exchanges of camaraderie , the proprietor , who seemed to know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , beaming , with a tray of four tall glasses full to their brims with what looked like ice cream .
Sitting in the all enveloping heat of African sunshine and slurping down that chilled , fluffy , foaming , coffee-flavoured deliciousness through a straw is lodged in my memory for ever .
Food and eating it are probably the most enduring memories I have .
I even remember mushrooms – NOT the magic kind I hasten to add – in Santa Barbara in California .
We visited a friend of my mother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had a chef .
He produced fried mushrooms like I had never tasted before .
I raved about them so much he was asked to make me a second helping .
Finely sliced and cooked gently in olive oil and butter ( this was 50 years ago and I had never heard of mixing oil and butter ) along with crushed garlic , cream and lots of black pepper they were unforgettable .
My parents took me to London once and Danish friends invited us to dinner where I was introduced to cooked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This too I raved about and was given a second helping only to discover , after I had wolfed it down , it had been the ‘ starter ’ .
I struggled to get through the other courses but will never forget that sensational combination of egg yolk and spinach !
Although I was scared of it at first , I have , over the years , come to enjoy feeding people and nowadays find cooking and entertaining , creative and fun .
Well , I did until I lost the senses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weird kind of flu a year ago last January , it gradually dawned on me I couldn ’ t taste anything .
Whenever or whatever one is cooking it is necessary to taste it from time to time to see what seasoning is required and I found it impossible .
It was horrific .
Everything tasted of nothing .
I was able to feel chile and hot spices on my tongue but the intensity of them or what they were doing to the overall dish passed me by .
I too realised , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and wrists , that good old Yves St Laurent was also passing me by !
My expensive scent could have been distilled water from the local garage .
Nothing .
Not a whiff of anything .
Scary or what ?
It was fortunate that my friend Anne who shares my studio and frequently the kitchen when she wants to make coffee or have a chat , kindly accepted the invitation to become my official taster and smeller .
She is allowed to open the fridge , grimace , hold her nose and tell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there .
She tells me when the compost bin is stinky or if I have B.O .
( She hasn ’ t had to do that yet I am glad to say ) .
She also tastes my soup , casseroles and other culinary creations to see if I have added the necessary ingredients and if she collapses on the floor clutching her stomach , I know I am going to poison people .
The doctor told me my olfactory senses may come back but kindly didn ’ t say that at my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Added to diminished hearing and no longer being able to judge where I am putting my feet , life in ‘ lock down ’ is quite a relief !
No one is around to see me totter , turn my head to hear something better , continually eat toast because cooking for me on my own is boring , or burn the milk which I do nearly every morning because I can ’ t hear it boiling over or smell it when it sizzles on the hot plate .
I don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ milk and coffee ritual anymore as all it tastes of in the end is like water I ’ ve boiled the dusters in with the slightest hint of rotting leaves… Oh hell !
I am an optimist and am hoping that , maybe , if I just bash on , I will once again enjoy its aroma and coffee will taste like coffee again .
Photo by stokpic is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA

I remember the taste of that iced coffee as if it were only a few minutes ago yet it must be at least twenty years. We were in Africa with friends who had invited us to join them on their time share, a compound with wild animals and a swimming pool. On the way we stopped at a strange place that wasn’t a bar or a garage or a shop or anything really but it had seats and tables outside. After a few exchanges of camaraderie, the proprietor, who seemed to know our friends well, disappeared and returned, beaming, with a tray of four tall glasses full to their brims with what looked like ice cream. Sitting in the all enveloping heat of African sunshine and slurping down that chilled, fluffy, foaming, coffee-flavoured deliciousness through a straw is lodged in my memory for ever.
Food and eating it are probably the most enduring memories I have. I even remember mushrooms – NOT the magic kind I hasten to add – in Santa Barbara in California. We visited a friend of my mother’s who was so rich she had a chef. He produced fried mushrooms like I had never tasted before. I raved about them so much he was asked to make me a second helping. Finely sliced and cooked gently in olive oil and butter (this was 50 years ago and I had never heard of mixing oil and butter) along with crushed garlic, cream and lots of black pepper they were unforgettable.
My parents took me to London once and Danish friends invited us to dinner where I was introduced to cooked spinach with a poached egg on top. This too I raved about and was given a second helping only to discover, after I had wolfed it down, it had been the ‘starter’. I struggled to get through the other courses but will never forget that sensational combination of egg yolk and spinach!
Although I was scared of it at first, I have, over the years, come to enjoy feeding people and nowadays find cooking and entertaining, creative and fun. Well, I did until I lost the senses of taste and smell.
After a weird kind of flu a year ago last January, it gradually dawned on me I couldn’t taste anything. Whenever or whatever one is cooking it is necessary to taste it from time to time to see what seasoning is required and I found it impossible. It was horrific. Everything tasted of nothing. I was able to feel chile and hot spices on my tongue but the intensity of them or what they were doing to the overall dish passed me by.
I too realised, as I sprayed perfume on my neck and wrists, that good old Yves St Laurent was also passing me by! My expensive scent could have been distilled water from the local garage. Nothing. Not a whiff of anything. Scary or what?
It was fortunate that my friend Anne who shares my studio and frequently the kitchen when she wants to make coffee or have a chat, kindly accepted the invitation to become my official taster and smeller. She is allowed to open the fridge, grimace, hold her nose and tell me there is something going off in there. She tells me when the compost bin is stinky or if I have B.O. (She hasn’t had to do that yet I am glad to say). She also tastes my soup, casseroles and other culinary creations to see if I have added the necessary ingredients and if she collapses on the floor clutching her stomach, I know I am going to poison people.
The doctor told me my olfactory senses may come back but kindly didn’t say that at my age it wasn’t likely. Added to diminished hearing and no longer being able to judge where I am putting my feet, life in ‘lock down’ is quite a relief! No one is around to see me totter, turn my head to hear something better, continually eat toast because cooking for me on my own is boring, or burn the milk which I do nearly every morning because I can’t hear it boiling over or smell it when it sizzles on the hot plate.
I don’t know why I bother with the hot milk and coffee ritual anymore as all it tastes of in the end is like water I’ve boiled the dusters in with the slightest hint of rotting leaves… Oh hell! I am an optimist and am hoping that, maybe, if I just bash on, I will once again enjoy its aroma and coffee will taste like coffee again.
Photo by stokpic is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA


sluggerotoole--2020-04-26--Be good to yourself. This isn’t easy for anyone, not even for me…

So we are in day eleventy Wednesday of lockdown and I ’ m at the stage where I need someone to text me each morning to tell me what day it is .
Also I need a brass band to parade through my house to wake up the teenagers .
Although in these days of social distancing I suppose an impromptu performance in the garden would be more appropriate .
Can ’ t say I ’ d be popular with the neighbours though .
In an outstanding feat of achievement the cat managed to get the boy teenager out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her morning patrol .
She had tried and failed with me as it was one of those mornings where I couldn ’ t move my arms or legs .
Getting out of bed wasn ’ t happening .
Along with other folks who are familiar with living mostly indoors , I thought I ’ d adjust to this new normality pretty easily .
In this catchment group I ’ m including the disabled , the already-working-from-homers , actors , writers etc .
Which reminds me of a joke I heard from Richard E @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open their curtains in the morning ?
Because it gives them something to do in the afternoon…badum tish .
I ’ ve been self-isolating since 16th March when I became ill with a virus .
I have no idea if it was our arch nemesis , but it was WEIRD .
Felt really ill for a couple of days and then I felt better for a few days and then bam there it was back again .
I had a new cough and a slightly raised temperature .
Thankfully I have recovered , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time just to get back to my regular level of feeling rubbish .
While my life indoors is much the same , it ’ s also very different .
I used to be able to escape by going on social media or turning on the telly or the radio , but not now .
At the start of lockdown we were bombarded with ideas on how we could all use this extra time to meditate , learn a new language , write a book , bake , craft , redecorate , on and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was shoved down our collective throats .
Don ’ t get me wrong , props to anyone who has found a new hobby or skill to enjoy .
Go for it and have fun !
Also take a bow if you are homeschooling .
Thoughts and prayers are with you .
What is refreshing is that a lot of people have been surprised by how unproductive they have been when at home and how they just don ’ t have time to tick off their to do list .
Sometimes it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each day .
Life has slowed down , if you ’ ve read my other posts you ’ ll know that I am housebound due to disability .
One of the changes that I found most difficult to adjust to when I became ill was that life was now slow .
I can put the day in rightly now .
If that ’ s a superpower then that ’ s mine .
Even with all my stay at home experience I have times where I ’ m feeling stressed and frustrated at our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or how lockdown will end isn ’ t a priority for me .
I can ’ t wait to be able to go to my favourite cafés and see friends and family again .
But the constant questions from journalists about the timescale for the lift of lockdown reminds me of kids in the back seat of the car asking “ are we there yet ?
” I feel for all those who have lost their jobs , who are struggling financially and for everyone who needs lockdown to end .
Something about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gives you can help with this .
All we really know is how things are today .
I ’ ve seen the graphs , I ’ ve seen the stats .
I ’ m neither an epidemiologist nor a statistician , I leave it all to the experts and the decision makers .
I await the lift of lockdown as eagerly as the next person , but I know it will happen in its own sweet time .
I may be presenting myself as a reasonable person , if so then here ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a counterbalance .
I am quietly and irrationally furious at the veritable plethora of the social events now being held online .
Where the hell was all of this accessibility before now ?
The disabled community have been crying out for this for years .
Now it ’ s the norm .
I hope that some form of this will continue post-lockdown .
I have to admit to joining in on a virtual pub quiz and to listening to a folk music festival on recommendation of a good friend , I grudgingly admit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I see from social media that many people are experiencing tiredness , difficulties with concentration and waking up exhausted after a restless night of nightmares .
If that ’ s also you then know that you ’ re not alone .
Find a way of relaxing , alleviating some of the stress in a way that is good for you .
Connect with your friends and family , reach out to others , snuggle up in a good blanket .
Dare I say it have a think of all the things you are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough to sit with a cup of something and watch nonsense on the telly , or look out the sky through your window .
Be good to yourself .
This isn ’ t easy for anyone , not even for me .
“ simplicity ” by Cornelia Kopp is licensed under CC BY

So we are in day eleventy Wednesday of lockdown and I’m at the stage where I need someone to text me each morning to tell me what day it is. Also I need a brass band to parade through my house to wake up the teenagers. Although in these days of social distancing I suppose an impromptu performance in the garden would be more appropriate. Can’t say I’d be popular with the neighbours though. In an outstanding feat of achievement the cat managed to get the boy teenager out of bed to open the back door for her morning patrol. She had tried and failed with me as it was one of those mornings where I couldn’t move my arms or legs. Getting out of bed wasn’t happening.
Along with other folks who are familiar with living mostly indoors, I thought I’d adjust to this new normality pretty easily. In this catchment group I’m including the disabled, the already-working-from-homers, actors, writers etc. Which reminds me of a joke I heard from Richard E Grant. Why don’t actors open their curtains in the morning? Because it gives them something to do in the afternoon…badum tish.
I’ve been self-isolating since 16th March when I became ill with a virus. I have no idea if it was our arch nemesis, but it was WEIRD. Felt really ill for a couple of days and then I felt better for a few days and then bam there it was back again. I had a new cough and a slightly raised temperature. Thankfully I have recovered, but it has taken almost all that time just to get back to my regular level of feeling rubbish.
While my life indoors is much the same, it’s also very different. I used to be able to escape by going on social media or turning on the telly or the radio, but not now. At the start of lockdown we were bombarded with ideas on how we could all use this extra time to meditate, learn a new language, write a book, bake, craft, redecorate, on and on and on the drone of self-improvement was shoved down our collective throats. Don’t get me wrong, props to anyone who has found a new hobby or skill to enjoy. Go for it and have fun! Also take a bow if you are homeschooling. Thoughts and prayers are with you. What is refreshing is that a lot of people have been surprised by how unproductive they have been when at home and how they just don’t have time to tick off their to do list. Sometimes it’s just enough to have made it through each day.
Life has slowed down, if you’ve read my other posts you’ll know that I am housebound due to disability. One of the changes that I found most difficult to adjust to when I became ill was that life was now slow. I can put the day in rightly now. If that’s a superpower then that’s mine.
Even with all my stay at home experience I have times where I’m feeling stressed and frustrated at our collective situation. The issue of when or how lockdown will end isn’t a priority for me. I can’t wait to be able to go to my favourite cafés and see friends and family again. But the constant questions from journalists about the timescale for the lift of lockdown reminds me of kids in the back seat of the car asking “are we there yet?”
I feel for all those who have lost their jobs, who are struggling financially and for everyone who needs lockdown to end. Something about the acceptance that living with a disability gives you can help with this. All we really know is how things are today. I’ve seen the graphs, I’ve seen the stats. I’m neither an epidemiologist nor a statistician, I leave it all to the experts and the decision makers. I await the lift of lockdown as eagerly as the next person, but I know it will happen in its own sweet time.
I may be presenting myself as a reasonable person, if so then here’s something frankly ridiculous which should provide a counterbalance. I am quietly and irrationally furious at the veritable plethora of the social events now being held online. Where the hell was all of this accessibility before now? The disabled community have been crying out for this for years. Now it’s the norm. I hope that some form of this will continue post-lockdown. I have to admit to joining in on a virtual pub quiz and to listening to a folk music festival on recommendation of a good friend, I grudgingly admit to maybe enjoying it. Maybe.
I see from social media that many people are experiencing tiredness, difficulties with concentration and waking up exhausted after a restless night of nightmares. If that’s also you then know that you’re not alone. Find a way of relaxing, alleviating some of the stress in a way that is good for you. Connect with your friends and family, reach out to others, snuggle up in a good blanket. Dare I say it have a think of all the things you are grateful for. Sometimes it’s enough to sit with a cup of something and watch nonsense on the telly, or look out the sky through your window.
Be good to yourself. This isn’t easy for anyone, not even for me.
“simplicity” by Cornelia Kopp is licensed under CC BY


Memories of Iran…

Iran is in the spotlight again thanks to Mr Trump ’ s measured and articulate twitter comments over the past few days .
Not really .
And no , I have no public opinion on that except to say that I was in Iran during a similar situation a few years ago that involved British/Iranian confrontation in the Persian Gulf and , let ’ s just say , I witnessed the story from both sides through various media outlets .
I ’ m not a political commentator nor an academic and generally keep my thoughts to myself regarding all things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that for others to argue between themselves as to the merits of the hot potato opinions this might induce .
Let ’ s be clear – I ’ m just a retired teacher and sometimes writer and poet , who aches to see some kind of balance when the word Iran appears on our screens .
In this I admit a personal interest , as my husband is Persian and I have actually been to Iran many times with the family , feeling it essential that our children have knowledge of their cultural @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I feel that it gives me a better perception into the lives of ordinary Persians rather than being speculative from the outside .
In some ways I compare it to how commentators used to be/still are ( ? )
about us .
Northern Ireland , over the years , received nothing but negative press but gradually , as more folk started to visit our shores , there came a better understanding of how we actually tick and how unhelpful it is to put us into selective boxes ( name your own ) .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the balance a little , I am including here a piece I wrote about an experience I enjoyed while visiting an ordinary school in Iran a while back .
I have no reason to believe it might be any different now .
A few years ago I visited a primary school in Tehran .
I went under the invitation of the school ’ s headmaster who was interested to know how my own school might compare to his and what they might learn from us .
It was an eye-opening experience .
Now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Iran .
Tehran .
A city school full of suppressed youngsters strictly supervised by women in crow-like outfits .
Well , I ’ m sorry to disappoint .
It wasn ’ t like that at all .
From the moment I set foot inside the school building I wasn ’ t thinking of what the differences were but the similarities .
The walls sang with the pupils ’ work .
Poster painted self-portraits .
Landscapes .
A themed project on spring .
I could ’ ve been walking down the corridor of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I suppose , if I ’ m honest , I might ’ ve been expecting something else myself .
Glum-faced teachers .
A cane above the blackboard .
Something rather extreme perhaps or a bit more tightly disciplined .
It ’ s amazing what perceptions we have about people and places until we experience them for ourselves .
So , as I entered the first classroom of six-year-olds , their cheeky faces welcoming me through the door , I felt completely at home .
Yes , they all stood up respectfully when I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business as usual .
“ Miss , can you help me with this sum ?
” “ Miss , where ’ s our visitor from ?
” or “ Can I go to the toilet now please ?
” All in Farsi of course , but it didn ’ t take a translation to get the gist of their needs .
For , after all , what is it that children actually need to make them happy ?
Encouragement to learn – yes .
Guidance to help them make better choices later in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hug every now and again – definitely .
And the fact that they come from Iran , Ireland , China or wherever , just doesn ’ t seem that important .
Towards the end of my visit I spotted a painting by one of the boys which stopped me in my tracks .
It showed Mount Damavand , Iran ’ s highest peak ; a blue river flowing below , the black scattering of crudely drawn birds in the sky above .
It could just as easily have been the Mournes .
Even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that I couldn ’ t get away from .
Okay , so I needed to cover up my hair loosely with a scarf .
I had to make sure my jacket was long enough to cover my bottom .
No big deal as it happens .
Funnily enough you ’ d probably be disappointed at how ordinary the people are over there – that they ’ re really not as different as you might like to think .
It took the children of a Tehran Primary school to remind myself of that .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ those of you reading this with your political hats on , you see only naivety and a simplistic view of what is , of course , a complicated and highly controversial subject .
Again , I won ’ t be drawn on that , but for the rest of you who can open yourselves up to an honest account of those aspects of Iranian life not much talked about or observed , then I am thankful for your time .
Hopefully it encourages you to find out more .

Iran is in the spotlight again thanks to Mr Trump’s measured and articulate twitter comments over the past few days. Not really. And no, I have no public opinion on that except to say that I was in Iran during a similar situation a few years ago that involved British/Iranian confrontation in the Persian Gulf and, let’s just say, I witnessed the story from both sides through various media outlets. I’m not a political commentator nor an academic and generally keep my thoughts to myself regarding all things troll-inducing, so I’ll leave that for others to argue between themselves as to the merits of the hot potato opinions this might induce. Let’s be clear – I’m just a retired teacher and sometimes writer and poet, who aches to see some kind of balance when the word Iran appears on our screens. In this I admit a personal interest, as my husband is Persian and I have actually been to Iran many times with the family, feeling it essential that our children have knowledge of their cultural heritage on both sides. Equally, I feel that it gives me a better perception into the lives of ordinary Persians rather than being speculative from the outside. In some ways I compare it to how commentators used to be/still are (?) about us. Northern Ireland, over the years, received nothing but negative press but gradually, as more folk started to visit our shores, there came a better understanding of how we actually tick and how unhelpful it is to put us into selective boxes (name your own). So, in an effort to redress the balance a little, I am including here a piece I wrote about an experience I enjoyed while visiting an ordinary school in Iran a while back. I have no reason to believe it might be any different now.
A few years ago I visited a primary school in Tehran. I went under the invitation of the school’s headmaster who was interested to know how my own school might compare to his and what they might learn from us. It was an eye-opening experience.
Now I know what you’re thinking. Iran. Tehran. A city school full of suppressed youngsters strictly supervised by women in crow-like outfits. Well, I’m sorry to disappoint. It wasn’t like that at all.
From the moment I set foot inside the school building I wasn’t thinking of what the differences were but the similarities. The walls sang with the pupils’ work. Poster painted self-portraits. Landscapes. A themed project on spring. I could’ve been walking down the corridor of any primary school in Northern Ireland.
I suppose, if I’m honest, I might’ve been expecting something else myself. Glum-faced teachers. A cane above the blackboard. Something rather extreme perhaps or a bit more tightly disciplined. It’s amazing what perceptions we have about people and places until we experience them for ourselves.
So, as I entered the first classroom of six-year-olds, their cheeky faces welcoming me through the door, I felt completely at home. Yes, they all stood up respectfully when I came in but after that it was business as usual. “Miss, can you help me with this sum?” “Miss, where’s our visitor from?” or “Can I go to the toilet now please?” All in Farsi of course, but it didn’t take a translation to get the gist of their needs. For, after all, what is it that children actually need to make them happy? Encouragement to learn – yes. Guidance to help them make better choices later in life. Love. Laughter. A hug every now and again – definitely. And the fact that they come from Iran, Ireland, China or wherever, just doesn’t seem that important.
Towards the end of my visit I spotted a painting by one of the boys which stopped me in my tracks. It showed Mount Damavand, Iran’s highest peak; a blue river flowing below, the black scattering of crudely drawn birds in the sky above. It could just as easily have been the Mournes. Even geographically it seemed, there were comparisons that I couldn’t get away from.
Okay, so I needed to cover up my hair loosely with a scarf. I had to make sure my jacket was long enough to cover my bottom. No big deal as it happens. Funnily enough you’d probably be disappointed at how ordinary the people are over there – that they’re really not as different as you might like to think. It took the children of a Tehran Primary school to remind myself of that.
So, I can imagine that for those of you reading this with your political hats on, you see only naivety and a simplistic view of what is, of course, a complicated and highly controversial subject. Again, I won’t be drawn on that, but for the rest of you who can open yourselves up to an honest account of those aspects of Iranian life not much talked about or observed, then I am thankful for your time. Hopefully it encourages you to find out more.


sluggerotoole--2020-04-26--Whats the buzz? An update from a beekeeper in lockdown…

Bee rescuing is something the whole family are active in at this time of year .
As doors and windows open to the lockdown sunshine , some bees inevitably find themselves stranded indoors .
We use a glass to trap them safely , then slip a piece of card underneath the rim to act as a lid .
If she ’ s been trapped inside for a long period a drop of honey or water is offered ; our own domestic A & E .
She is then carried and set free from the front door ; that way she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the hive .
We always presume she ’ s one of ours , though of course she may not be ( my son claims to know the difference ) .
I ’ ve just saved a girl from inside my office window .
She was scaling it like El Capitan and making a deafening racket .
I ’ d love to report I cupped her in my bare hands and carried her outside , like a true bee whisperer .
Instead I grabbed a used coffee cup ( sorry bee ) to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s another beautiful sunny afternoon – it ’ s what this lockdown will be remembered for – and my stranded bee prompted me to wander out to have a look at my hive .
They were all there , darting about like mad kamikaze pilots .
I was shamed to notice their watering station completely dry .
I had forgotten to check it all weekend !
A gift to us from my Mum , it ’ s located a few feet from the hive entrance .
A wide circular basin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a low pedestal half a foot off the ground .
I ’ ve filled it with stones and pebbles of various size so the bees have something to land on and safely take a drink .
Water is especially important for them at this time of year to dilute their winter stores of honey and to cool the hive .
They need plenty of energy for their spring foraging flights and for raising brood .
The queen will be ramping up to her maximum egg laying capacity of two thousand per day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poured in fresh water from my watering-can .
I filled the basin to the very top , then took a step back out of their flight path .
I ’ m not terribly brave about bee stings .
Dressed for the warm weather with bare arms and legs I felt a little vulnerable .
I got stung twice last summer , on both occasions I was not wearing my bee suit .
The first sting was from one of my bees when I peered in through the front vent .
The poor bee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strange BFG and went straight for my head .
It got tangled in my long hair and we wrestled about for several seconds .
I must have looked like a mad dervish .
A bee buzz next to an ear is very perturbing ; it induces a panic like no other .
With the aid of a mirror I was able to extract the stinger from the side of my temple , no real harm done .
The second sting , a couple of weeks later , was from one of my husband @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around the hive when it decided I was getting too close and stung me on my calf .
It was being a little over-zealous , I think .
It swelled up rightly and was sore for several days .
Obviously , his bees have more sting in their tail than mine .
I felt guilty .
Two bees having died because of me .
How many times would I have died if I was a bee ?
I ’ m too impulsive .
I ’ ve got better , but I still act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a short life as a bee , giving away stings all too readily .
My husband is measured , calm , weighs up his options .
Whereas , I dive right in .
There ’ s fight in my heart like a terrier .
He often admonishes me for it , but without it , I might not have married him .
It ’ s frightening to look in the eye of a trait and wish it away , yet acknowledge it ’ s brought you gifts along with barbs .
Love always @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s how we know we love .
I think I ’ d be a good worker bee , but I ’ d die all too quickly .
I continued to watch my hive , out of the flight path of the returning foragers , empty watering can in hand and sun on my back .
I wondered if the bee I ’ d rescued had returned safely .
Each one is so tiny out there against the world .
You have to be brave to be a bee .
Another week of home-school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is like my toilet ; no one else cares how clean it is .
I share toilets with three males , as far as the fifty-one-year-old claims he is not to blame for the detritus that I am left to clean .
Coronavirus has had an expediential effect on the toilets in the house .
Four people cooped up twenty-four hours a day mean the toilets are in high demand .
I suppose I should be grateful there is more than one and therefore not complain about cleaning three .
And I know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or B ) Care if it was left undone .
Maybe it ’ s because I have to sit every time I ‘ go ’ that I am more particular about the hygiene of where I place my rear end… either way as I disinfect and scrub I am caught by the thought ; no one cares about this as much as me .
Honeybees keep their hives meticulously clean .
In the first few days after she emerges from her cell one of the first jobs a honeybee will have is as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ cell cleaner ’ ensuring each honeycomb cell is clean for the queen to lay her egg in .
Every bee inside a hive has a particular role to play before she advances to leaving the hive as a forager in the last three weeks of her life .
Drones do nothing inside the hive , their sole purpose is for procreation .
We live in a house , not a hive , so I hand one son a duster and point the other in the direction of the vacuum cleaner .
Later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ x6 tables into one son and urge my eldest towards online Spanish class , it feels the same as the toilets .
No one else cares as much as I do .
I ’ ve fallen into the parent-trap of wanting them to be better versions of me .
This enforced lockdown is loading them up with ammunition to fire at me in ten or twenty years .
By then , I ’ ll be able to blame my mishandling of ‘ home-school ’ along with the government ’ s mismanagement of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of the woodwork by then ; what should or shouldn ’ t have been done .
Right now , as we sit in this lockdown it feels like no one is handling it right .
There ’ s still no sign or word from the PM , who ’ s convalescing at Chequers .
A hive without a queen will not survive , it ’ s in disarray with angry unsettled bees , maybe someone should let Boris know…

Bee rescuing is something the whole family are active in at this time of year. As doors and windows open to the lockdown sunshine, some bees inevitably find themselves stranded indoors. We use a glass to trap them safely, then slip a piece of card underneath the rim to act as a lid. If she’s been trapped inside for a long period a drop of honey or water is offered; our own domestic A&E. She is then carried and set free from the front door; that way she has the shortest distance to fly back to the hive. We always presume she’s one of ours, though of course she may not be (my son claims to know the difference). I’ve just saved a girl from inside my office window. She was scaling it like El Capitan and making a deafening racket. I’d love to report I cupped her in my bare hands and carried her outside, like a true bee whisperer. Instead I grabbed a used coffee cup (sorry bee) to trap her and escort her to freedom. It’s another beautiful sunny afternoon – it’s what this lockdown will be remembered for – and my stranded bee prompted me to wander out to have a look at my hive. They were all there, darting about like mad kamikaze pilots. I was shamed to notice their watering station completely dry. I had forgotten to check it all weekend! A gift to us from my Mum, it’s located a few feet from the hive entrance. A wide circular basin with rimmed ‘steps. It sits on a low pedestal half a foot off the ground. I’ve filled it with stones and pebbles of various size so the bees have something to land on and safely take a drink. Water is especially important for them at this time of year to dilute their winter stores of honey and to cool the hive. They need plenty of energy for their spring foraging flights and for raising brood. The queen will be ramping up to her maximum egg laying capacity of two thousand per day.
I apologised for my neglect and poured in fresh water from my watering-can. I filled the basin to the very top, then took a step back out of their flight path. I’m not terribly brave about bee stings. Dressed for the warm weather with bare arms and legs I felt a little vulnerable. I got stung twice last summer, on both occasions I was not wearing my bee suit. The first sting was from one of my bees when I peered in through the front vent. The poor bee was rightly defending the hive from this strange BFG and went straight for my head. It got tangled in my long hair and we wrestled about for several seconds. I must have looked like a mad dervish. A bee buzz next to an ear is very perturbing; it induces a panic like no other. With the aid of a mirror I was able to extract the stinger from the side of my temple, no real harm done. The second sting, a couple of weeks later, was from one of my husband’s bees. I was weeding around the hive when it decided I was getting too close and stung me on my calf. It was being a little over-zealous, I think. It swelled up rightly and was sore for several days. Obviously, his bees have more sting in their tail than mine. I felt guilty. Two bees having died because of me.
I think:
How many times would I have died if I was a bee?
A: Many.
I’m too impulsive. I’ve got better, but I still act before I think. I would have a short life as a bee, giving away stings all too readily. My husband is measured, calm, weighs up his options. Whereas, I dive right in. There’s fight in my heart like a terrier. He often admonishes me for it, but without it, I might not have married him. It’s frightening to look in the eye of a trait and wish it away, yet acknowledge it’s brought you gifts along with barbs. Love always comes with a sting, it’s how we know we love. I think I’d be a good worker bee, but I’d die all too quickly.
I continued to watch my hive, out of the flight path of the returning foragers, empty watering can in hand and sun on my back. I wondered if the bee I’d rescued had returned safely. Each one is so tiny out there against the world. You have to be brave to be a bee.
23rd April
‘TOILETS AND TIMES TABLES’
Another week of home-school almost complete.
I think:
My sons’ education is like my toilet; no one else cares how clean it is.
I share toilets with three males, as far as the fifty-one-year-old claims he is not to blame for the detritus that I am left to clean. Coronavirus has had an expediential effect on the toilets in the house. Four people cooped up twenty-four hours a day mean the toilets are in high demand. I suppose I should be grateful there is more than one and therefore not complain about cleaning three. And I know no one would A) Notice, or B) Care if it was left undone. Maybe it’s because I have to sit every time I ‘go’ that I am more particular about the hygiene of where I place my rear end… either way as I disinfect and scrub I am caught by the thought; no one cares about this as much as me. Honeybees keep their hives meticulously clean. In the first few days after she emerges from her cell one of the first jobs a honeybee will have is as a ‘house bee’ and a ‘cell cleaner’ ensuring each honeycomb cell is clean for the queen to lay her egg in. Every bee inside a hive has a particular role to play before she advances to leaving the hive as a forager in the last three weeks of her life. Drones do nothing inside the hive, their sole purpose is for procreation. We live in a house, not a hive, so I hand one son a duster and point the other in the direction of the vacuum cleaner.
Later, as I try and drill the x6 tables into one son and urge my eldest towards online Spanish class, it feels the same as the toilets. No one else cares as much as I do. I’ve fallen into the parent-trap of wanting them to be better versions of me. This enforced lockdown is loading them up with ammunition to fire at me in ten or twenty years. By then, I’ll be able to blame my mishandling of ‘home-school’ along with the government’s mismanagement of the virus. It will all have come out of the woodwork by then; what should or shouldn’t have been done. Right now, as we sit in this lockdown it feels like no one is handling it right. There’s still no sign or word from the PM, who’s convalescing at Chequers. A hive without a queen will not survive, it’s in disarray with angry unsettled bees, maybe someone should let Boris know…


sluggerotoole--2020-04-27--Northern Ireland’s mental health crisis

Northern Ireland’s mental health crisis

Mental health is a global challenge , but poor mental health is at crisis levels in Northern Ireland .
That crisis is in part an ongoing impact from the Troubles , Siobhan O ’ Neill , professor of mental health science at Ulster University , says in the latest Holywell Trust podcast .
“ We ’ re seeing a rise in mental health problems in the Western world , ” says Siobhan .
“ We know that around one in four or one in five people in Europe and the West have a mental health problem .
In Northern Ireland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Our research showed that in 2008 , around 39 % of the population had met the criteria for a mental illness at some point in their lifespan.
” She continues : “ We can see that the trauma of the Troubles seems to have had an impact on the population that has led to that differential compared to other places.
” What is more , the most deprived areas were both the setting for much of the worst of the Troubles and of mental ill health in our society today .
This has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Belfast and Derry .
“ People who live there were more likely to be exposed to trauma related to the Troubles .
Other places were affected too , obviously , but I think there ’ s the double whammy of poverty and deprivation and those same urban areas that saw the worst of the violence of the Troubles .
So you have those things working together.
” Perhaps counter-intuitively , there was a low level of suicide during the Troubles , but a high level today .
Siobhan explains : “ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lower during the period of the Troubles .
One of the reasons for that is that people who are most marginalised and vulnerable were involved in their struggle .
And that gave them a reason for living .
It gave meaning , provided men that sense of purpose , that keeps us all going .
But unfortunately , after the end of the Troubles there has been a weighing-up of the result of all of us suffering , as a result of what happened .
And we see that the rates of suicide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ factor , says Siobhan , which is that key life events many years later may stimulate post traumatic stress , triggering reflection on past events that individuals tried to ignore at the time .
That later point may be retirement from work , or moving home as part of that retirement – with the result that the trauma is deeply felt many years after a serious event .
“ PTSD can emerge years after the traumatic event , ” says Siobhan .
This means that although the Good Friday Agreement is now more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people the Troubles is not in the past .
“ This is a really important point , ” says Siobhan .
“ The trauma of the Troubles is there .
It ’ s part of us .
It ’ s part of who we are.
” Another layer to this problem is that many people coped with traumatic events through addiction .
“ The Troubles was a source of stress that was uncontrollable… .
you need to do something to try and get rid of that terrible , terrible feeling .
A lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and alcohol particularly is easily available .
And culturally , it ’ s what we do to cope with things , to celebrate .
So that was a way that people learnt how to manage their stress .
“ We know that alcohol causes depression over time .
And it causes addiction .
People get addicted to alcohol or drugs .
The harm that has been caused as a result is measureable across Northern Ireland : it causes harm to families and children when parents are using substances to cope with stress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talk about as intergenerational traumas .
Whenever parents inadvertently create adversities for their children because of how they are coping with the trauma that they ’ ve experienced .
And alcohol is a huge , huge part of that.
” Today , though , there is a very different and extremely important trigger for stress and depression – Covid-19 and the lockdown related to it .
Academics at the University of Sheffield are now studying the impact .
“ What they find is that there was an increase in anxiety and depression just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a huge , huge pressure .
But if people are able to get out and exercise and they ’ re able to meet people online , then it mitigates some of the effects of isolation.
” Siobhan adds in a positive vein : “ There is also some evidence of that sense of connectedness that people are experiencing , the feeling that we are in this together… that could be something that protects us.
” The internet provides both a way of bringing us together , but also of providing false messages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Social media is useful because it can help you connect with people here who are like you , ” says Siobhan .
“ You get a sense that there ’ s a whole community out there .
So even if you ’ re physically alone , that you ’ re part of something bigger .
So it ’ s really about ensuring that your timeline of your preferred social media platform is not full of negative stories.
” There are also ways that individuals can protect their physical and mental health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing to do is structure your day and make a plan for what you ’ re going to do .
That structure should include exercise , or getting outside , or moving your body in some way : that ’ s really important and it ’ s really important for your mental health .
Exercise is a natural anti-depressant .
It gets rid of all those unpleasant chemicals that are associated with anxiety…The other thing we must do everyday is connect with people in some way , shape or form .
Ideally , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ screen if we can.
” Once we emerge from this crisis we need to concentrate on strengthening societies in ways that assist from the very earliest age .
We need to have what Siobhan refers to as “ a multi-layered approach , a multi-level approach , ” promoting good mental health .
That needs to begin in the early years of childhood , with support for parents .
“ Our funding for early years , for health visiting , is absolutely crucial to this effort , ” she says .
“ And then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to help kids with coping and resilience… We can help children identify their emotional responses and help them work out their own ways of addressing that at an early stage .
And that would limit down the numbers that will be coming through to the mental health services .
We also need to be doing a lot more screening… .
early intervention really is the key.
” The latest podcast in the second Forward Together series is available here on the website of Holywell Trust , a peace and reconciliation charity , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Media Grant Scheme Disclaimer : This project has received support from the Northern Ireland Community Relations Council which aims to promote a pluralist society characterised by equity , respect for diversity , and recognition of interdependence .
The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the Community Relations Council .

Mental health is a global challenge, but poor mental health is at crisis levels in Northern Ireland. That crisis is in part an ongoing impact from the Troubles, Siobhan O’Neill, professor of mental health science at Ulster University, says in the latest Holywell Trust podcast.
“We’re seeing a rise in mental health problems in the Western world,” says Siobhan. “We know that around one in four or one in five people in Europe and the West have a mental health problem. In Northern Ireland, that’s somewhat higher. Our research showed that in 2008, around 39% of the population had met the criteria for a mental illness at some point in their lifespan.”
She continues: “We can see that the trauma of the Troubles seems to have had an impact on the population that has led to that differential compared to other places.”
What is more, the most deprived areas were both the setting for much of the worst of the Troubles and of mental ill health in our society today. This has particularly been felt in the poorest parts of Belfast and Derry. “People who live there were more likely to be exposed to trauma related to the Troubles. Other places were affected too, obviously, but I think there’s the double whammy of poverty and deprivation and those same urban areas that saw the worst of the violence of the Troubles. So you have those things working together.”
Perhaps counter-intuitively, there was a low level of suicide during the Troubles, but a high level today. Siobhan explains: “We saw the rates of suicide were much lower during the period of the Troubles. One of the reasons for that is that people who are most marginalised and vulnerable were involved in their struggle. And that gave them a reason for living. It gave meaning, provided men that sense of purpose, that keeps us all going. But unfortunately, after the end of the Troubles there has been a weighing-up of the result of all of us suffering, as a result of what happened. And we see that the rates of suicide increase after that.”
There is another factor, says Siobhan, which is that key life events many years later may stimulate post traumatic stress, triggering reflection on past events that individuals tried to ignore at the time. That later point may be retirement from work, or moving home as part of that retirement – with the result that the trauma is deeply felt many years after a serious event. “PTSD can emerge years after the traumatic event,” says Siobhan.
This means that although the Good Friday Agreement is now more than 20 years old, for many people the Troubles is not in the past. “This is a really important point,” says Siobhan. “The trauma of the Troubles is there. It’s part of us. It’s part of who we are.”
Another layer to this problem is that many people coped with traumatic events through addiction. “The Troubles was a source of stress that was uncontrollable…. you need to do something to try and get rid of that terrible, terrible feeling. A lot of people turned to drugs and alcohol, and alcohol particularly is easily available. And culturally, it’s what we do to cope with things, to celebrate. So that was a way that people learnt how to manage their stress.
“We know that alcohol causes depression over time. And it causes addiction. People get addicted to alcohol or drugs. The harm that has been caused as a result is measureable across Northern Ireland: it causes harm to families and children when parents are using substances to cope with stress. This is part of what we talk about as intergenerational traumas. Whenever parents inadvertently create adversities for their children because of how they are coping with the trauma that they’ve experienced. And alcohol is a huge, huge part of that.”
Today, though, there is a very different and extremely important trigger for stress and depression – Covid-19 and the lockdown related to it. Academics at the University of Sheffield are now studying the impact. “What they find is that there was an increase in anxiety and depression just after the lockdown measures were introduced… isolation is a huge, huge pressure. But if people are able to get out and exercise and they’re able to meet people online, then it mitigates some of the effects of isolation.”
Siobhan adds in a positive vein: “There is also some evidence of that sense of connectedness that people are experiencing, the feeling that we are in this together… that could be something that protects us.”
The internet provides both a way of bringing us together, but also of providing false messages, so must be used with care. “Social media is useful because it can help you connect with people here who are like you,” says Siobhan. “You get a sense that there’s a whole community out there. So even if you’re physically alone, that you’re part of something bigger. So it’s really about ensuring that your timeline of your preferred social media platform is not full of negative stories.”
There are also ways that individuals can protect their physical and mental health during this crisis. “The first thing to do is structure your day and make a plan for what you’re going to do. That structure should include exercise, or getting outside, or moving your body in some way: that’s really important and it’s really important for your mental health. Exercise is a natural anti-depressant. It gets rid of all those unpleasant chemicals that are associated with anxiety…The other thing we must do everyday is connect with people in some way, shape or form. Ideally, it would be visually, using a screen if we can.”
Once we emerge from this crisis we need to concentrate on strengthening societies in ways that assist from the very earliest age. We need to have what Siobhan refers to as “a multi-layered approach, a multi-level approach,” promoting good mental health. That needs to begin in the early years of childhood, with support for parents. “Our funding for early years, for health visiting, is absolutely crucial to this effort,” she says. “And then in the education system, we need to help kids with coping and resilience… We can help children identify their emotional responses and help them work out their own ways of addressing that at an early stage. And that would limit down the numbers that will be coming through to the mental health services. We also need to be doing a lot more screening…. early intervention really is the key.”
The latest podcast in the second Forward Together series is available here on the website of Holywell Trust, a peace and reconciliation charity, and is financed by the Community Relations Council’s Media Grant Scheme
Disclaimer: This project has received support from the Northern Ireland Community Relations Council which aims to promote a pluralist society characterised by equity, respect for diversity, and recognition of interdependence. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the Community Relations Council.


Fergus on Monday

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