99% Invisible

Peace Lines

Aug 21, 2019

Scott Gurian, a globe-trotting reporter known for his insightful storytelling, teams up with Ian McLaughlin from the Lower Shankill Community Association to discuss Belfast's peace lines. They explore the history and impact of these imposing barriers, which still divide Protestants and Catholics decades after the Troubles. The conversation delves into personal stories, the lingering scars of sectarianism, and the community's hopes for a united future. With humor and honesty, they navigate the complexities of identity and reconciliation in a divided society.

35:26

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Episode guests

Ian McLaughlin

Scott Gurian

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Episode notes

Intro

2min

Walls of Division: The Legacy of Northern Ireland

7min

Barriers of Division: The Legacy of Peace Walls in Northern Ireland

12min

Barriers and Bridges: Navigating Northern Ireland's Divide

7min

Stereotypes and Reconciliation

7min

Contemplating the Removal of Dividing Walls

3min

There are many walls in Belfast which physically separate Protestant neighborhoods from Catholic ones. Some are fences that you can see through, while others are made of bricks and steel. Many have clearly been reinforced over time: a cinderblock wall topped with corrugated iron, then topped with razor wire, stretching up towards the sky. Many of the walls in Northern Ireland went up in the 1970s and ‘80s at the height of what’s become known as “The Troubles.” Decades later, almost all of the walls remain standing. They cut across communities like monuments to the conflict, etched into the physical landscape. Taking them down isn’t going to be easy.

Peace Lines

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