"As a post-conflict piece the focus is on what draws us together rather than pulling us apart."
Belfast Diary War as a Way Of Life (1987)
By John Conroy - Chapter 1 Excerpt
Chapter One begins with a description of the Catholic district called Clonard, located in West Belfast, and bordering the Protestant neighborhood of Shankhill. The text speaks to the neighborhood’s segregation, close quarter living, and which only recently received hot water and bathtubs. Conroy speaks to the military presence in the neighborhood during the late 80’s and highlights the military presence as well as the lack of control residents feel. He also speaks of the generational legacy of the hatred and violence between the two districts bringing up themes of ghosts and myths built upon the past. The neighborhoods in Belfast were constructed with military operations in mind which helped to institutionalize and normalize the conflict. Over time the segregation between Republican (Catholic) and Loyalists (Protestant) grew stronger and each community appreciates the walls that divide them.
Page 12-15
Perfect reading for the Taximan character because it shines light on the history of Belfast’s black taxis which are closely linked to the IRA. Conroy also discusses the lack of diversity in the country of Ireland in addition to linking the treatment of black Americans to the discrimination Catholics faced in 1980s Northern Ireland.
Page 16-42
This is an excellent reading for a character like Joan because Conroy delves into Mrs. Barbour’s experience of moving and continuing to live in Belfast. She is a mixture of happiness and sorrow, she discusses her trauma with a sense of humor as Joan does in LAGAN. I think the text illuminated an actor challenge for each character to discover the humor in each of their sorrows as comedy is often a tool to heal. The chapter also goes through a brief history of the Troubles from within the community which links together the concept that this warfare between Protestants and Catholics is a generational issue that spans 150 years. There are some concepts regarding the Troubles which resonate with today such as the lack of media coverage concerning North Ireland’s atrocities (like today’s Aleppo), the community distrusts the police and army (Black Lives Matter), and that people would rather not know about the conflict (Israel and Palestine). The chapter closes with an excellent section following the life of a Taximan which was a lucrative and exciting business during the Troubles.
Page 54-65
This excerpt focuses mainly on unpacking the IRA (Irish Republican Army). While Loyalists, like the British, see the IRA as terrorists; Catholics see the IRA as their neighbors. The organization is comprised of everyday Catholic men and women rather than the criminals one may imagine. Although the IRA claims their fight is not against Protestants, but with the British, it is hard for Protestants to see codes in the IRA’s behavior. The British know they can’t beat the IRA while the IRA knows it cannot defeat the British, the troubles therefore feel like a war of stalemates, of time. One of the IRA men discusses that children now grew up throwing stones at one another, breeding a new generation of sectarian violence. The military often searched people and/or their homes at any given moment, many of the passages illuminate why Belfast neighbors may be so nosy.
“I could never tell where the next attack would take place, as the war has no front. I could never guess who would be arrested next, as one need not have committed a crime to end up in jail. I couldn’t tell when the guerrillas might knock at the door…” – pg. 2
Belfast Diary War as a Way Of Life (1987)
By John Conroy - Chapter 2 Excerpts
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Ch. 1 excerpt!