Corrymeela Community
Encyclopedia
The Corrymeela Community is a Christian
community whose objective is the promotion of reconciliation and peace-building through the healing of social, religious, and political divisions in Northern Ireland
. It runs programmes aimed at establishing a shared society defined by tolerance, where differences are resolved through dialogue in the public sphere and where there is equity, respect for diversity and recognition of interdependence.
and beyond, developing and delivering focused community relations work through single-identity, cross-community and cross-border community and residentially based programmes. Each year over 6,000 participants take part in programmes at the Corrymeela Ballycastle Centre, which can host over 100 residents.
Corrymeela currently has 28 staff, 14 residential volunteers, 100 short-term volunteers, 150 community members and over 5,000 supporters worldwide who support the work of the community.
Corrymeela offers participants the opportunity to engage in dialogue, build a sense of inclusive community during their programme, listen to different stories and perspectives and explore ways of moving out of violence and finding more constructive ways of working together.
In addition to providing a model of reconciliation, Corrymeela seeks to offer a language around relationships and reconciliations which can be applied to politics, conflict transformation, and faith. This language around relationships and reconciliation has been taken up in political discourse. The Northern Irish government
's Shared Future document references Corrymeela and writes that “relationships matter and are central” and “moving from relationships based on mistrust and defence to relationships rooted in mutual recognition and trust, is the essence of reconciliation.”
In early 1965, in order to give the community a physical gathering place, Corrymeela moved to the Holiday Fellowship Centre near Ballycastle
in County Antrim
. Its structure formalised, and a council was elected with Davey serving as treasurer and secretary. Corrymeela opened for the public in November 1965, opening itself as a place for Christian reconciliation in Northern Ireland.
Corrymeela was awarded the Niwano Peace Prize
in 1997, in honour of "its contribution to significantly to interreligious cooperation, thereby furthering the cause of world peace."
The community also exhibits artwork with themes of peace and reconciliation for Northern Ireland. In 2007, it exhibited The Linen Memorial
, a piece made from almost 400 Irish linen handkerchiefs listing almost 4000 names of those killed in the Northern Irish conflict. Visiors left mementos and tokens beside names of those killed, making it an interactive and evolving artwork.
Another of Corrymeela's themes is the value of volunteering. Voluntary effort reconstructed the original centre in the 1960s. Volunteers – both short-term and long-term – are involved in all aspects of the work of the Community. Many of them have carried their learning at Corrymeela into Northern Irish society and beyond and are active in peace and reconciliation work. Corrymeela's vision is that volunteering will be even more central to the work in the future.
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
community whose objective is the promotion of reconciliation and peace-building through the healing of social, religious, and political divisions in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. It runs programmes aimed at establishing a shared society defined by tolerance, where differences are resolved through dialogue in the public sphere and where there is equity, respect for diversity and recognition of interdependence.
Introduction
Corrymeela works throughout Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
and beyond, developing and delivering focused community relations work through single-identity, cross-community and cross-border community and residentially based programmes. Each year over 6,000 participants take part in programmes at the Corrymeela Ballycastle Centre, which can host over 100 residents.
Corrymeela currently has 28 staff, 14 residential volunteers, 100 short-term volunteers, 150 community members and over 5,000 supporters worldwide who support the work of the community.
Corrymeela offers participants the opportunity to engage in dialogue, build a sense of inclusive community during their programme, listen to different stories and perspectives and explore ways of moving out of violence and finding more constructive ways of working together.
In addition to providing a model of reconciliation, Corrymeela seeks to offer a language around relationships and reconciliations which can be applied to politics, conflict transformation, and faith. This language around relationships and reconciliation has been taken up in political discourse. The Northern Irish government
Parliament of Northern Ireland
The Parliament of Northern Ireland was the home rule legislature of Northern Ireland, created under the Government of Ireland Act 1920, which sat from 7 June 1921 to 30 March 1972, when it was suspended...
's Shared Future document references Corrymeela and writes that “relationships matter and are central” and “moving from relationships based on mistrust and defence to relationships rooted in mutual recognition and trust, is the essence of reconciliation.”
History
Corrymeela was founded in 1965 by Ray Davey, along with John Morrow and Alex Watson, as an organization seeking to aid individuals and communities which suffered through the violence and polarisation of the Northern Irish conflict. Early members were Christians in the Northern Irish community from diverse backgrounds who wanted to begin a new community which could counter apathy and complacency and open up new possibilities.In early 1965, in order to give the community a physical gathering place, Corrymeela moved to the Holiday Fellowship Centre near Ballycastle
Ballycastle, County Antrim
Ballycastle is a small town in County Antrim in Northern Ireland. Its population was 5,089 people in the 2001 Census. It is the seat and main settlement of Moyle District Council....
in County Antrim
County Antrim
County Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000...
. Its structure formalised, and a council was elected with Davey serving as treasurer and secretary. Corrymeela opened for the public in November 1965, opening itself as a place for Christian reconciliation in Northern Ireland.
Corrymeela was awarded the Niwano Peace Prize
Niwano Peace Prize
Niwano Peace Prize is given to honor and encourage those who are devoting themselves to interreligious cooperation in the cause of peace,and to make their achievements known...
in 1997, in honour of "its contribution to significantly to interreligious cooperation, thereby furthering the cause of world peace."
Programme Work
Corrymeela hosts programmes which are centered around:- Schools: seeking to address community relations issues, often through citizenship
- Families: providing respite and development work
- Faith and Life: seeking to support individuals and church communities in their journey of faith and to support encounter with different traditions
- Youth: seeking to provide a safe and welcoming environment, primarily focused on marginalised youth
- Communities: looking at issues of inter-community relations, both on a single-identity and a cross community basis
- International communities: hosting groups who are interested in learning about conflict management and peace-building.
The community also exhibits artwork with themes of peace and reconciliation for Northern Ireland. In 2007, it exhibited The Linen Memorial
The Linen Memorial
The Linen Memorial, conceived and created in 2001 by sculptor Dr Lycia Danielle Trouton and sponsored by Canada Council of the Arts as an ongoing site conscious memorial installation which seeks to narrate the almost 4,000 deaths which took place during the fraught period in contemporary Northern...
, a piece made from almost 400 Irish linen handkerchiefs listing almost 4000 names of those killed in the Northern Irish conflict. Visiors left mementos and tokens beside names of those killed, making it an interactive and evolving artwork.
Themes
Corrymeela's programmes and work engages the following themes:- The importance of meeting and encounter
- The importance of community building (and residentials build community)
- Creating a "safe space"
- The importance of stories
- Making connections between faith and life
- Starting with people’s questions
- Using models to help our understanding
- Using creative and adventure learning to get us ‘beyond’ words and thinking to open up other dimensions of our personalities
Another of Corrymeela's themes is the value of volunteering. Voluntary effort reconstructed the original centre in the 1960s. Volunteers – both short-term and long-term – are involved in all aspects of the work of the Community. Many of them have carried their learning at Corrymeela into Northern Irish society and beyond and are active in peace and reconciliation work. Corrymeela's vision is that volunteering will be even more central to the work in the future.
Leaders
- Ray Davey 1965 - 1980
- John MorrowJohn Morrow (peace activist)Rev. Dr. John Morrow was a Presbyterian minister and peace activist in Northern Ireland. He was integral in the 1965 founding of the Corrymeela Community, a Christian group committed to promoting peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland...
1980 - 1994 - Trevor WilliamsTrevor Williams (bishop)Trevor Williams is the incumbent Bishop of Limerick and Killaloe in the Church of Ireland.-Early career:Williams was born in Dublin city, Ireland and educated at St. Andrew's College, Dublin, Trinity College, Dublin, and St John's College, Nottingham. He was ordained a deacon in 1974 and a priest...
1994 - 2003 - David Stevens 2003 - 2010
- Inderjit Bhogal 2011 -
External links
- Corrymeela Community website
- Youth as Evaluators: Contested Spaces and Identity Short film of interviews with young people at the Corrymeela Centre