Just heard the story of an amazing man on the radio - I think he's a hero...

[edam]

Father Aidan Troy on The Choice on Radio 4 - chilling and awe-inspiring and an incredible reminder of how far N Ireland has come. He was the priest involved in shepherding little girls to school during sectarian riots.

I'm not a Catholic and have only been to N Ireland once but it made me extremely grateful for the peace process. And wonder how on earth those little girls are doing now - I hope they've managed somehow to come through the experience.

(And of course there were lots of other brave people involved, presumably on both sides of the divide - those who somehow worked through to a solution.)

I heard that - what a hero indeed. Had to turn off when he was talking about balloons filled with piss though

I agree.

indeed. Incredible to think that people thought that was an OK form of protest - wtf?

Those little girls will be as fine as anyone who grew up in Northern Ireland through troubled times.

Not sure if that's reassuring or worrying, thedolly - obv. The Troubles were a frightening time for everyone and I'm sure lots of people were scarred by various experiences. But I can't help thinking that having to run that line, with grown men and women screaming obscenities and throwing things, must have some sort of long term effects.

Vaguely recall hearing a psychiatrist saying once there are a LOT of people in NI with post-traumatic stress disorder. Ditto people in other conflict zones wrt children especially. Hope someone somewhere is doing something to help people recover.

There was an alternative route that the parents could have taken but they insisted on going down the 'path of most resistance'. The situation in NI is extremely complex and whilst on the whole Father Aidan was fairly balanced in how he spoke he never once mentioned this alternative route.

That's interesting, he didn't mention it on the radio either (although I missed the start of the show).

Still doesn't excuse people frightening little girls though.

I think it was the paramilitary fathers that the hatred /violence/abuse was aimed at. I am not excusing it btw.

no no, didn't think you were - is just interesting to hear some of the context.

What paramilitary fathers? And even if some of the fathers of some of the pupils were IRA or whatever, surely that doesn't mean anyone with a grain of sense would harass their children?

I meant that I wasn't excusing what I wrote edam. Said 'fathers' were accompanying their children to school. It could be said that the children were the 'pawns' in what I have already alluded to as a complex situation.

Thank you for your kind comments about Fr Audan Troy. I am proud to say he is my mum's cousin & my little boy is named after him