Researchers at Dublin City University Business School are running a project called Communicating for Impact: Public Safety Messaging for Border Communities, and is supported by the All Island Disaster Risk Reduction programme.
The project team is currently engaging residents of border counties to take part in a survey to gather vital insights with a view to improving how safety messaging is communicated during emergencies.
For research such as this, it is vitally important that we capture the opinions of grassroots community members, who will play a vital role in shaping improved communication strategies for enhancing public safety across the island of Ireland.
Máirín Martin Ballinamore Area Community Council Clg Chair was, yet again, selected to attend a Peace Conference, marking the 25th Anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.
The Conference was held in Boston University, jointly organised by Debbie Watters NI Alternatives/Restorative Justice and Professor Sandra McEvoy, Boston.
Máirín Martin Chair of Ballinamore Area Community Council Clg in Boston
“I was very honoured to be invited to participate by Debbie Watters, whom I met at a Conference in Leuven in May. The Boston Conference was opened by a lunch reception hosted by the Irish Consul of New England, Síghle Fitzgerald, formerly on the Board of the International Fund for Ireland (IFI). The IFI fund our current Peace Impact Programme in Ballinamore – ‘Better Together – Níos Fearr Le Chéile’. Central to the conversations were twenty working class women from cross community organisations from the six and border counties, engaging in conversations with guest speakers and information sharing, with some of the most influential women. Those women who have been working through the Good Friday Agreement whilst voicing the importance of women in the process. On day one of the Conference, we were welcomed to Boston by Joe Kennedy III, President Biden’s Special Envoy to Northern Ireland. I was indeed honoured to have been part of the first Panel Discussion which consisted of Monica McWilliams, PhD, Avila Kilmurray, both Co- founders NI Women’s Coalition; Anne Pendleton, Community Restorative Justice; Julie Davidson, Action for Community Transition; and myself, Chairperson, Ballinamore Area Community Council Clg, Peace Impact Programme. We reflected on our roles in the lead up to the GFA and reflected on the past 25 years – the lessons learned and the way forward.”
It has been a busy few months here in our Peace Project Office!
One key element of our Peace Impact Programme is the ‘Cross Border Programme’ – which consists of our Cross Border/ Cross Community Schools Project and our Literature- Bridge Across Difference Project. You can find out more about these and other projects in our Summer Newsletter.
Keep an eye on here on our website and our social media for upcoming courses in Parent First Aid, CPR.
We still have limited places available for our upcoming Safe Pass Course on Wednesday 20th September 2023, in the Den in Ballinamore.
For further information or to book your place contact Michael Mullin 089 420 0000 or email michaelmullin884@gmail,com
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In February we had the privilege of travelling to Omagh Library for our second Meet the Author event. Reading groups from Enniskillen, Cavan, and Leitrim Libraries met up to discuss ‘The Letter Home’. Written by author and RTE Radio Presenter Rachael English, the letter home is rich in historical detail and the readers had lots of interesting questions for Rachael.
Left to Right Lily Gillis – Senior Services Manager Stock & Reader Development Libraries NI, Michael Mullin – Better Together Níos Fearr Le Chéile Project Manager, Rachael English – Author ‘The Letter Home’ and Maírin Martin -Chairperson Ballinamore Community Council Clg
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We have had a busy few months with two prestigious visits by the Board of the International Fund for Ireland / International Funders / American & Canadian Embassies to our Peace Impact Programme.
We were very honored to host both visits. Máirín Martin, Chairperson, gave a background to what living in close proximity to the border was and is like. She updated the visitors on the beauty of Ballinamore, the Shannon Erne Waterway, and its History. Michael Mullin, Project Manager, gave an outline and update of what is happening on the ground with the Better Together-Níos Fearr Le Chéile Project.
One key element of our Peace Impact Programme is the ‘Cross Border Programme’ – which consists of our Cross Border/ Cross Community Schools Project and our Literature- Bridge Across Difference Project. You can find out more about the Projects in our Autumn/ Winter Newsletter.
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Looking forward to our next ‘Meet the Author ‘ Event in Omagh Library in February in our Bridge Across Difference Literature/Reading Programme. The library groups from Leitrim County Library, Cavan County Library ServiceLibraries NI are reading at present ‘The Letter Home’ written by RTE Presenter Rachael English. The Letter Home tells the story of journalist Jessie Daly who loses everything she holds dear, she travels home to Ireland’s west coast and helps an old friend researching life during the famine. Jessie becomes drawn into the heartbreaking story of a brave young mother, Bridget Moloney, and her daughter, Norah.
On the other side of the ocean, in Boston, Kaitlin Wilson is researching her family tree. She unearths a fascinating story, but her research forces her to confront uncomfortable truths about the past, as she uncovers an unexpected connection to Ireland in famine times.
Generations before, in the small town of Boherbreen, a young mother faced a heart-wrenching choice: to watch her baby girl perish with hunger, or to start out for a new life in America, alone, in order to protect the one she loves most…
The Bridge Across Difference Literature/Reading Programme is now, unfortunately, fully subscribed to.
Thank you so much for everyone’s interest in taking part.
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Last Wednesday, December 7th, 2022 we had the privilege to welcome a delegation led by International Fund For Ireland Joint Director General Sighle FitzGerald. Presentations were made by Sighle and Catherine Ryan – IFI Programme Manager on the importance and the role of the International Fund for Ireland and the funding process, Máirín Martin – Chairperson of Ballinamore Community Council CLG spoke about her experience whilst taking part in the AMBIT Programme. The group from the US Embassy, the Canadian Embassy, and the Department of Foreign Affairs were given a brief insight into our Peace Impact Programme and progress to date by Michael Mullin our Better Together – Níos Fearr Le Chéile Project Coordinator. We are now 10 months into our 2-year Peace Impact Project, Projects up and running are Cross Border Schools Programme, Literature and Cross Border/ Community Development Training.
Joint Director General IFI Sighle FitzGeraldBallinamore Area Community Council CLG Chair Person Máirín MartinMichael Mullin Better Together – Níos Fearr Le Chéile Project Co Ordinator IFI Delegation visit to Ballinamore
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On Tuesday 22nd November, our groups from Omagh, Manorhamilton, Kiltyclogher, and Cavan Libraries travelled to Enniskillen Library for our very first meet-the-author event!
Our first author was Martina Devlin, who is an award-winning columnist for the Irish Independent and podcaster for Dublin City of Literature #CityofBooks, discussing and answering questions on her new novel Edith, which is based on the life of Irish novelist Edith Somerville
The book is set during the turbulent period of Irish Independence 1921–22, Somerville finds herself at a crossroads. Her position as a member of the Ascendancy is perilous as she struggles to keep her family home, Drishane House in West Cork, while others are burned out. After years in a successful writing partnership with Violet Martin, Edith continues to write after her partner’s death, comforted in the belief they continue to connect through automatic writing and séances.
Against a backdrop of Civil War politics and lawlessness erupting across the country, people across Ireland are forced to consider where their loyalties lie.
The story of Somerville and Ross is unique in the history of Irish women writers. Academic Shawn R. Mooney described these best-selling authors as ‘undeniably New Women: single, educated and economically independent writers whose lives and literary collaboration were unique manifestations of late-nineteenth-century feminist strivings toward political and sexual equality. Devlin depicts Edith in the round, suffering from loss, striving for safety, and keeping hold of hope in this captivating narrative set in the early years of a nascent state — a triumph of ventriloquism rooted in a society on the cusp of change.
Martina read from Edith and answered lots of questions from all our participants. Everyone was very keen to ask Martina questions about the book and her writing. very good conversations on #Peace #CrossBorder #Respect #Neighbors.
We would like to say a huge Thank You to everyone at all the libraries for making this possible and especially to Enniskillen Library for looking after us all, making us all very welcome, and of course the refreshments.
A lovely evening was had by all and we look forward to meeting again in Omagh in February 2023, to meet our second Author Rachael English – to chat about her book ‘The Letter Home’
Michael Mullin – Better Together – Níos Fearr Le Chéile Project Co-ordinator, Martina Devlin and Máirín Martin – Chairperson Ballinamore Area Community Council CLG
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Ballinamore Area Community Council CLG Chair-Person – Máírín Martin and Philip Brannan – Black Mountain Shared Space Project, Belfast
As part of the Porticus programme the Black Mountain Shared Space Project staff, residents, & participants of their various engagement groups recently took a cross-community, cross-border best practice & fact-finding trip to County Leitrim. Black Mountain Shared Space Project was set up in 2009, It is a cross-community partnership operating across a contentious interface in the West Belfast area. Last Friday, we welcomed our friends from the project to Ballinamore for a best-practice visit to the Ballinamore Area Community Council and then to the fabulous Glenview folk museum. Maírín Martin Ballinamore Community Council CLG Chair Person welcomed our friends to the Den & Ballinamore. Michael Mullin Our Better Together – Níos Fearr Le Chéile Project Manager gave the group a brief insight into our own Peace Impact Programme. The Black Mountain Shared Space Project is a fantastic Project doing great work in the community of West Belfast. We look forward to seeing everyone again soon!
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