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Ireland - Ten years on
“I never dreamt it would be like this; it's so beautiful,” commented friends who recently made their first visit to Ireland.
We live in Portstewart, a seaside resort perched right on the north coast, surrounded by stunning and dramatic scenery. The fact that our friends came to visit us in Northern Ireland is testament to how perceptions of the place have changed over the past ten years. Now Northern Ireland is an acceptable holiday destination. For too long renowned only for the conflict, both sides have called a halt to their hostilities and relative peace has ensued. So our Province is emerging from its chrysalis state as a brightly coloured butterfly.
But if this is now an exciting place to visit, what is it like to live here? What is it like to work and bring up our families? Sadly, we share the same challenges and wrestle with the same issues as any other community in the United Kingdom. Here many families endure poverty and deprivation, are beset by debt, alcoholism and other social evils and search vainly for employment. There are areas in our cities and towns where one fears to walk at night, places where drug addiction is rife and where there is not the necessary support or education.
Here, the family unit is under a barrage of threats and social workers are snowed under with work; children often ending up as innocent victims. Psychologists tell us that the aggression and energy, which fuelled past para-military activity, is now channelled in other directions and we are aware of a worrying trend in racially motivated attacks.
So we do not blind ourselves to our huge social problems; yet after the darkness of past years we cannot but be optimistic. Over the past ten years especially there is a newfound confidence, a daring to hope for a brighter future; there is a burgeoning belief in our worth and ability. Skies are dotted with cranes symbolising development; the worldwide technological revolution has hit our land no less dramatically than elsewhere and our children have opportunities to expand knowledge and experience in a way previously unthinkable. Now too, our brightest youngsters see opportunities at home rather than having to move away and our most talented ambassadors who have already left are being tempted back to enjoy a less frenzied lifestyle, excellent education and a sense of returning to one's roots.
We still have a long way to go: politically yet again we are at stalemate; problems must neither be ignored nor must they be exaggerated. We are a proud people, a spirited people, where the family still influences greatly.
In the months and years ahead, I look forward to doing a lot more entertaining of visitors. For the good news is that life has changed and is changing in Northern Ireland and despite everything, it is change for the better.
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