Peace walls start to come down in places

By Rebecca Black, PA
Published 30th Dec 2022, 08:13 BST
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Significant progress has been made at five peace wall sites in Northern Ireland, the International Fund for Ireland (IFI) said.

The developments in areas of north Belfast, west Belfast and Londonderry are part of long-term and ongoing work in communities by groups across the traditional divide in the Province.

More than 100 barriers remain and range from high concrete walls to gates and fences to buildings, and are owned by a number of bodies, from the Department of Justice, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and private bodies.

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They were erected from the 1970s in response to attacks and disorder during the Troubles.

A general view of the 18-foot (5.5 m) high peace wall that separates the mainly Irish nationalist and catholic district of Ballymurphy with the Ulster Protestant Springmartin housing estates in Belfast. PA Photo.A general view of the 18-foot (5.5 m) high peace wall that separates the mainly Irish nationalist and catholic district of Ballymurphy with the Ulster Protestant Springmartin housing estates in Belfast. PA Photo.
A general view of the 18-foot (5.5 m) high peace wall that separates the mainly Irish nationalist and catholic district of Ballymurphy with the Ulster Protestant Springmartin housing estates in Belfast. PA Photo.

However, work is ongoing to remove some and transform others.

Across 2021 and 2022, International Fund for Ireland (IFI) chairman Paddy Harte described significant progress at five sites.

The IFI funds groups working for progress around the barriers.

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In north Belfast, a brick wall topped by meshing at the Duncairn Gardens/Tiger's Bay interface in north Belfast was replaced with garden walls and decorative fencing.

At nearby Hillman Court/Duncairn Gardens, a peace fence on top of the wall beside the new houses at Hillman Court was removed and replaced with garden walls and fencing.

And at Adam Street/Upper Canning Street, a cage barrier was replaced with an open-mesh fence and the pedestrian gates beside Star Neighbourhood Centre.

Also in north Belfast, the Flax Street Gate has been replaced with an automated pedestrian and traffic gate, enabling access between Ardoyne and Crumlin Road in November for the first time in almost 40 years.

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And the height of a tall peace fence in the lower Oldpark/Cliftonville area was reduced in December.

In west Belfast, work is under way to remove a peace fence at Moyard Parade, and at the former Finlay's factory site a peace fence was removed in December ahead of a redevelopment of the site.

In Londonderry, fencing on the city's historic walls close to the Apprentice Boys of Derry building was reduced and replaced with normalised mesh fencing.

Of the Londonderry development Mr Harte said: “It is a significant development on the walls. The walls are now basically open, all of it, and it's a great sign of communities coming together and it's also a good opportunity for tourism to develop.”