Appendices to ‘Communities and Peace: Catholic Youth in Northern Ireland’
SIOBHÁN MCEVOY
Joan B. Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame
The following contains the full transcriptions of the parts of focus group discussions and questionnaires which dealt with the questions: What is community? Are you a member of a community? What is Peace?
The written responses to the questionnaire administered after the focus groups have not been edited for spelling, punctuation, sense or emphasis except where clearly marked by square parentheses. The excerpts from the focus group discussions have been transcribed verbatim. Unless unwise indicated the quotations are from written questionnaires.
Passages quoted in the article are highlighted here.
APPENDICES 1-3 - WHAT IS COMMUNITY?
Appendix 1: West Belfast
(1a) Community is a group of friendly people. People who know and care for each other. In Ireland, it would be people of the same religions (Female 17, Secondary, West Belfast).
I think community is a place where people of the same religion work together and come together as one (Female 14, Secondary, West Belfast).
A community is the people who live together. I think a community is of the same class as in Catholics are sometimes treated as 2nd class citizens. Communities mainly share the same religion, colour (although not much in N. Ireland). I don't agree with distinctions made between people (Female 13, Secondary, West Belfast).
A community to me is people coming together. A community is people who live in the same area, of all the same race. For example, all Catholics = (a Catholic community), or all Protestants (Female 15, Secondary, West Belfast).
I would define a community as being a group of people who share the same beliefs, manifestos and hopes in life etc.. People (adults and children) make communities. Beliefs are part of the structure which form a community (Female 17, Secondary, West Belfast).
A community is where people have the same hopes for the future. It is a group of people who share the same desires, but should accept each other’s opinion. Their religious beliefs would usually be quite similar as well as their political views. It is a group which can get along with each other (Female 17, Comprehensive, West Belfast).
A community is a group of people who have the same beliefs. In order to have a community there must be a close relation between people. [But] People must understand and accept people’s views (Female 17, Comprehensive, West Belfast).
A discussion between West Belfast girls, aged 13-17:
Moderator - What is a community? How would you define it?
First Girl - ‘People you live with, friendly’.
Second - ‘People you live with, even if they have different beliefs, they're still a unique person’.
First - I just feel that your community is just all the same people, just Catholics that’s it, or just Protestants, not mixing.
Moderator – But earlier someone said that a community was people of all different kinds.
First - That’s ideally the way a community should be but here its really not’.
Second - People say to you “like in your community” and all that, it’s just the place around you, like I live in Beechmount and I would think of Beechmount and the people there and that would be community. It's just because you have like Beechmount is Catholic, the Shankill would be Protestant. There's areas for you, for different religions, you just don't mingle.
First - Most people here hear community they just think of a little place around them, but in other countries when they hear community they think really wide – anybody – all different religions, different races, everything. But here it’s just your community around you.
Moderator – Are there other things that you all have in common apart from the fact that you all live together?
First Girl – Well you have religion. There's not a lot of mixed areas around here.
Second - The areas here are very clanny. They all stick together. That's why you've got Protestant areas and Catholic areas. If you go into a Protestant area and they know you're a Catholic then automatically you get scared in case anything happens. There's just fights constantly.
(1b) A community is a group of people living together. Liking each other. Looking out for each other (Female 13, Secondary, West Belfast).
A community is where people have the same aspirations, desires and come together at all times - hard, or sad to help one another and be strong for one another. Requires friendship and understanding (Female 17, Comprehensive, West Belfast).
A community is a group of people who have the same beliefs and hopes for the future. A community will stick together and trust one another in times of trouble (Female 16, Comprehensive, West Belfast).
(1c) To make a community you need a lot of people whoare willing to work for the right thing, like peace (Female 14, Secondary, West Belfast).
If you want to be in a community you have to be willing to mix with other people and be friendly (Female 14, Secondary, West Belfast).
[A community is] People working together, getting on with each other, respecting each others beliefs, letting people do what they want to do, help each other when they need help (Female 17, Secondary, West Belfast).
(1d) A community is a group of people who usually all believe in the same things e.g. politics, religion etc. But there are communities who believe the different religions e.g. Catholics and Protestants. A community needs: peace, different views, an understanding of the different views (Female 17, Comprehensive School, West Belfast).
[A community is] A group of people with possibly the same religion (or mixed) who share the same beliefs. People who want the same things. People who are able to get on with each other . Wanting/hoping for a certain future (?) Usually people with the same religion BUT not always (Female 16, Comprehensive School, West Belfast).
(1e) A community is where people have same beliefs about religion, the past and the future. To have a community I think there is a lack of understanding of the real world and what people actually want and believe in (Female 17, Comprehensive School, West Belfast).
(1f) I think a community is a group of people who have different beliefs can come together to be one. I also think that a community can give support and comfort to people of all nationalities (Female 13, Secondary, West Belfast).
A community is a place where there are people who can get on well no matter what religion or race they are - of course this is an ideal community and to achieve this we have to look ahead instead of living in the past (Female 16, Secondary, West Belfast).
Appendix 2: Co. Down
(2a) [A community is ] A group of people who live together and who try, at least, to cooperate with each other, [characterized by] friendship, compromise, trust, sharing, cooperation. Communities are always split as no community is perfect, in (N) Ireland the common split is religion (Male 17, Grammar School, Co. Down).
[A community is] A gathering of people that live together in a defined area that have similarities that define them from another set of people. Normally a community would live in one certain area and they would also give them different viewpoints and attitudes. But a community can be spread over a large area and it is not a physical thing (Male 17, Grammar, Co. Down).
A community is the acceptance of other people and things within the boundaries of the various areas in your life. A good community needs friendship, tolerance, acceptance of others and a strong basis from which to start (Male 17, Grammar, Co. Down).
A group of people living close to each other or coming together a lot. There has to be a degree of friendship and cooperation between them. Understanding is important in making a community. People need to accept other members of the community’s beliefs and views (Male 17, Grammar, Co. Down).
A community is a group of people who work together so that they can all get along. Examples are schools, youth clubs, and towns. People are allowed to express their own viewpoints and there are many instances when they don't get along. Schools, local shops, football clubs. Help the aged charities, neighbourhood watch, medical centres and many more things all make up a community. Understanding, trust, cooperation etc. all help people to get along with each other (Male 17, Grammar, Co. Down).
A community is a number of people living in close proximity to one another and share the same services, e.g. shops, banks etc. A community enables people to come together for the benefit of the area they live in so everyone's standard of living is comfortable. Friendship across all divides is important and people of all nationalities and creeds must be respected and allowed to do as they see wish (Male 17, Grammar, Co. Down).
(2b) A community is a group of people who come together with a common history, language, principles or nationality. They feel by sharing these things that they have a bond which unifies them. They feel loyal and protective of their community and they aim to keep their communal identity (Male 17, Grammar, Co. Down).
A community is a group of people of a similar culture and background who live in the same area. People in a community interact and help each other. There are many different types of community, a town or village could be described a community but within a town there could also be two very different communities who are separated by what they feel are major issues (Male 17, Grammar, Co. Down).
A number of things are important to make a community including: Respect for everyone, no matter who they are. No discrimination against anyone who belongs to that community. A sense of belonging, identity, or culture. Its people are willing to share. A sense of togetherness, often if they have something in common it is helpful (Female 17, Grammar, Co. Down)
(2c) A community is a group of people who work together or live peacefully alongside each other. They help each other out and look after each other (Male, 15, Grammar, Co. Down).
A community is a group of people who share the same thoughts and views. Most communities are made up of groups of friends who are prepared to cooperate and help each other (Male 15, Grammar, Co. Down).
Shared belief. Living near each other (Male 15, Grammar, Co. Down).
A community is when people live together peacefully. Working together (Male 15, Grammar, Co. Down).
A community is a neighbourhood which all come together to form one big family and live in a safe, well kept society. These people all have shared beliefs and can accept if others have different opinions (Male 15, Grammar, Co. Down).
Support and trust between each member of the community. Parks for children (Male 15, Grammar,Co. Down).
A community is the society in an area. It consists of a range of different sorts of people from a range of different backgrounds. Different communities would have different views because of the composition and proportion of people divided by religion etc. (Male 15, Grammar, Co. Down).
A community "should" be a place where people co-operate together in a place of peace. Northern Ireland should be like this although 25 years of violence have caused an attitude of hatred at this time. A community should be a place where people help each other out, looking out for each other (Male 15, Grammar, Co. Down).
(2d). Our parents grew up in a very different situation. They were the children of the fifties and sixties when Catholics were very heavily discriminated against but now times have changed and it’s more equal, so we don’t have as many grievances against Protestants. If we were growin’ up in the environment where we knew we could only get dead-end jobs then there was no point conformin’ but now Catholics have as much an opportunity as Protestants, so they’re not as militant (Male 16-17, Grammar, Co. Down).
I have sort of been brought up to be sort of a Republican because mum and dad are both from West Belfast. And I’ve always looked on the Protestant people as different people and the more I’ve grown older the more I’ve recognized that’s not the point. But I’ve been brought up to see that there is difference between Protestants and Catholic people (Male 13-15, Grammar, Co. Down).
I’ve been brought up to believe that Protestants have better jobs, have always picked on the Catholic people, Catholics need not apply for jobs in the sixties, seventies, and eighties and now its only startin’ that Catholics are getting’ back up on their feet (Male 13-15, Grammar, Co. Down).
(2e) A community is collection of people who usually live in the same area. Usually they get along with one another and sometimes even look out for one another. A list of different things would be friendship, trust, same beliefs (Male 18, Protestant/ 'neutral', Further Education College, Co. Down).
Collection of individuals that make up a group. They have friendship, trust, familiarity, belief, agreement, disagreement, common goals, co-operation, toleration, patience (Male 18, Roman Catholic, Further Education College, Co. Down).
A community is a centre of meeting where there is love such as a youth centre (non-political i.e. not Orange bands and Gaelic clubs etc.) or a Church (Protestant, Male, 17, Co. Down).
[A community is] Various people from different cultures, ethnic backgrounds working together. Involves co-operation, equality, but also respect for people’s differences (Male 19, Roman Catholic, Further Education College, Co. Down).
Appendix 3: Derry
(3a) A community is a group of people of Catholics or Protestants. Your family is a community. Your friends are a community and anyone who lives in your area (Male 13, Secondary, Derry).
A community is a place where small places or things make up one whole place. To make a community you would need to be friends with everyone around you, community's can be made up of different types of people like Catholics, Protestants and even coloured people (Male 13, Secondary, Derry).
A community is where people live it does not matter if it is a large community or small. The things that would make a community is if people where Protestants you would try and make friends (Male 13, Secondary, Derry).
A community is place where people live close to each other. To make a community you would have to help other people in that community (Male 13, Secondary, Derry).
A community is a big group of people, which is made up of small groups. In a community there would be people of all sorts, e.g. Protestants, Catholics, Black, White People and so on. You would also have people who agree on peace (Male 13, Secondary, Derry).
A community is where you live. It could be a mixed community (Catholic and Protestant) or all Catholic. A community is made up of Religion, Family, Friends (Male 13, Secondary, Derry).
People being able to trust, join each other, support (Male 15, Secondary, Derry).
A group of people together in one area. Many houses with friends and people you know (Male 15, Secondary, Derry).
Everyone living happy, going to mass together aloud to be able to say and wear what you want. No difference in religion. Friendship (Male 15, Secondary, Derry).
A community should be a group of people supporting each other, living together in peace and working together for a better future (Male 15, Secondary, Derry).
(3b) A community is a place where people work together and get along. Within a community people may not always hold the same views or beliefs but may be of the same religion. Most communities work together for peace or make the place better for the generation to follow (Female 17, Secondary, Derry).
'In a community there would be people to agree on peace whilst other people would try to be organizing [a] march' (Male 13, Derry).
[A Community is] People who believe in one same thing e.g. Protestant - Unionist, Protestant-Non-Unionist, Catholic - Nationalist, Catholic- Non-Nationalist. People who know one and other and get on well with each other. People who may not know each other, but they are brought together through friends and family (Female 17, Secondary, Derry).
I feel that a community is a group of people who work together for their goals in life. I feel a community is loving each other, helping each other and supporting each other regardless of personal beliefs (Female 17, Secondary, Derry).
A community is a group of people who: work together, live together. They don't have to believe in the same thing, however, they respect each other's beliefs and differences (Female 18, Secondary, Derry).
A group of people together, who believe in the same things, living in the same area working together. People who help out one another when need be. They respect each other (Female 16, Secondary, Derry).
APPENDICES 4- 7 - ARE YOU A MEMBER OF A COMMUNITY?
Appendix 4: A Catholic Community
(4a)I do consider myself to be part of a Catholic community. The reason why I think of myself to be part of a Catholic community would be because I have never got the chance to mix with other communities (Female 14, Secondary, West Belfast).