To celebrate Ireland’s National Heritage Week (23-29th August), two key events were held with young people from North and South by the ‘Shared Heritage & Myths’ team, on behalf of the Louth Peace & Reconciliation Partnership, under the European Union’s PEACE III programme.

Event 1: Kilbroney Environmental Education Centre, Rostrevor, Co Down

Two troupes of cross-border Scouts were invited to celebrate our island’s shared heritage, in the lovely wooded surroundings of the Kilbroney Centre in Rostrevor. Fifteen scouts from Lisburn/Belfast and from Dundalk/Ardee (aged 15-17 years) gathered in the outdoors for two days, mostly in showery conditions, to learn about aspects of our shared heritage and each other’s traditions respectfully. Through problem-solving and team working skills, the Scouts built a shelter and large campfire in Kilbroney Woods to survive the elements overnight.….on the way they learned about our shared environmental heritage, what fruits and plants could be foraged and eaten, how to build a rain-proof shelter and how to make and fire Mesolithic pottery. The Scouts sang and swapped songs with the best of humour around the camp fire, despite the elements. Finally, the Scouts released sky-lanterns under the full moon as it emerged from the dark clouds – the lanterns signified hope for a peaceful future on this island and rounded off a great day symbolically. The following morning, the Scouts learned about the archaeological and landscape evolution of the Louth-Down-Armagh region, demonstrating that the span of a human life is very short compared to the millions of years of shared geological and cultural heritage which we enjoy on the island of Ireland. Issues of identity were explored to discover that our sense of shared identity is stronger than many may have thought before. Overall, a wonderful two-days, with lots of fun and building of new cross-border friendships among those who may be future community leaders in peace-building. Click for pics!

Event 2: Foy Community Centre, Carlingford, Co Louth (25-26 August 2010)

Children (8-12 years) were invited to celebrate the shared medieval heritage of Carlingford, to coincide with the celebrations of the 800th anniversary of King John’s sojourn in Carlingford Castle in 1210.  As many as 25 children from Carlingford, Dundalk, Blackrock, Glenmore, Newry and young holidaymakers from England gathered at the Foy Centre on each day. They dressed up as young pages to learn from Sir Derek what a medieval knight looked like, how he behaved and how he must obey codes of honour above all else. Young ‘ladies’ learned how to make medieval head-dresses (wimples) and how to make pottery, under the excellent tutelage of Lady Ciara.  In the meantime, the young knights and ladies were shown how to joust on their horse, and learnt the arts of archery and sword-fighting in true noble tradition. Enormous fun was had by all learning these traditional skills (despite some initial trepidation among the younger knights and ladies!) - you’d better watch your back the next time you walk down the street in Carlingford! Click for pics!