The Emerald Curtain The Social Impact of the Irish Border By Brian Harvey Assumpta Kelly Sean Mc Gearty Sonya Murray THE EMERALD CURTAIN Published by Triskele Community Training & Development Carrickmacross Workhouse Shercock Road Carrickmacross Co. Monaghan Ireland 2005 Copyright© Triskele Community Training & Development ISBN: 0-9550088-0-8 The border was never intended, on our part, as a major international frontier, an emerald curtain. It was others who piled brick upon brick along that wall so we could scarcely see or comprehend one another. - James Chichester Clark, Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, 1969-71, attrib. 3 Terms of reference Definitions Methodology Acknowledgements 1 Introduction: the ‘Emerald Curtain’ 1.1 Unintended, unforeseen and undocumented consequences 1.2 What if? The Boundary Commission 2 The border region 2.1 Characterization of the southern border counties 2.2 Distinctions within the border areas URTAIN 2.3 Changes in patterns C 2.4 The border as a distinct region 2.5 The future of the border counties 2.6 Conclusions contents 3 Peacetime impacts MERALD E 3.1 Anticipating the border 3.2 Impact on trade HE 3.3 Impact on commerce T 3.4 Impact of regulation 3.5 Impact on regional development 3.6 Impact on civil society and politics 3.7 Impact on social policy 3.8 Impact on the environment 3.9 Impact on mobility and the labour force 3.10 Conclusions 4 The impacts of the conflict 4.1 Human costs of violence 4.2 Financial and economic costs on border communities 4.3 The fracturing of social connections 4.4 Reconstruction: reassessing the impact 4.5 Conclusions 5 Impacts on specific groups 5.1 Ex-prisoners 5.2 Displaced persons 5.3 Women 5.4 The protestant minority community 5.5 Clones - Erne east 5.6 Conclusions 6 Specific groups - the lived experience 6.1 Ex-prisoners 6.2 Displaced persons 6.3 Women 6.4 The protestant minority community 6.5 Clones - Erne east 6.6 Specific conclusions 6.7 Common themes and issues 6.8 Conclusions and implications for community development 7 The Irish border in a European context 7.1 Impact of all borders 7.2 Models of cross-border cooperation 7.3 European policies for cross-border development 7.4 Conclusions 8 Evolution of cross border cooperation in Ireland 8.1 Historical evolution 8.2 Evolution of INTERREG programme in Ireland 8.3 INTERREG III 8.4 Civil society in INTERREG III 8.5 Cross-border cooperation in the Peace programme 8.6 Wider cross-border cooperation in Ireland 8.7 Conclusions 9 Ways forward in cross-border cooperation 9.1 Cross-border cooperation 2007-2013: the new proposals 9.2 A framework for cross-border cooperation 9.3 Community development and cross-border strategies 9.4 Civil society and cross-border strategies 9.5 Conclusions 10 Conclusions 10.1 A model of the border 10.2 Conclusions 10.3 Key messages 10.3 Specific recommendations 5 Tables 1 Level of voluntary and community organization in the southern border counties 2 Basic data about the southern border counties 3 Fatality rates in northern border counties 4 Women’s representation on public bodies in the southern border counties 5 Changes in protestant population, 1991-2002, southern border counties 6 Priorities and measures in INTERREG III 7 Cross-border work in the Peace programme URTAIN C MERALD E HE T references & bibliography 2 THE EMERALD CURTAIN Terms of reference The purpose of this research is to carry out action research on the specific social, cultural and economic impact of the border on the infrastructure and sustainability of communities, geographic and issue based, in the southern border counties. In conjunction with these communities, the research attempts to identify innovative and distinctive strategies to strengthen community infrastructure and build sustainable communities that are capable of taking opportunities arising from peace. The action research assesses the impact of the border on the geographical communities adjacent to or straddling the border and the participation of members of the target group in these communities. The border and the legacy of the conflict are believed to have had a negative impact on the infrastructure and sustainability of these communities. The project aims to identify this impact and work with the communities to develop strategies in both practical and policy terms to address this impact. The research is especially designed to build on the work originally carried out by Triskele in Along the Borderline (1999). Definitions The border is defined as those local authority areas sharing a land border: in the Republic, these are the counties of Donegal, Leitrim, Cavan, Monaghan and Louth. In Northern Ireland, these are the district council areas of Derry, Strabane, Omagh, Fermanagh, Dungannon, Armagh and Newry & Mourne. We are conscious that Sligo is defined as a border county for purposes of the Peace programme, although it does not have such a land border: the county will be referred to from time to time where appropriate. This research concentrates most on those southern counties in which Triskele traditionally operated: Louth, Cavan and Monaghan, Triskele being located in the last (Carrickmacross). The term ‘Ireland’ will be used as a geographical term to apply to the island of Ireland. Although the term ‘Republic of Ireland’ has no constitutional standing, it is widely used and understood and shall be applied to the southern 26 counties. The term ‘Free State’ is used in a historical context to refer to the southern 26 counties for the period 1921 to 1949. The European Union Special Support Programme for Peace and Reconciliation in Northern Ireland and in the border region of Ireland will be termed, for convenience, Peace I and its successor, Peace II. The political agreement signed in Belfast in April 1998 will be termed here the ‘Good Friday Agreement’, though it is recognized that some people use the term ‘Belfast Agreement’. The neutral term ‘the conflict’ will be 7 THE EMERALD CURTAIN the main term used to describe the disturbed events over 1969-94 (and around them), though the term ‘the troubles’ may also be used occasionally. The title ‘The Emerald Curtain’ was taken from remarks made by former Northern Ireland Prime Minister James Chichester Clark (chapter 1). Methodology This report was completed using three methods. First, desk research was used to investigate the background and context to the study. Second, the experience of communities living along the border was gathered through the use of four thematic and one geographic focus groups. This was, we felt, the most useful to obtain indepth the experience of key groups affected by the social impact of the border. The thematic focus groups were concerned with women, ex- prisoners, the protestant community, displaced persons and the geographical group was focussed on a district significantly affected by the border: Clones and east Erne. Third, over thirty interviews were held with policy-makers, community leaders and key people associated with the economic and social development of the border region. The outcomes of the research were presented to two seminars designed to outline the initial findings, test the recommendations of the research and invite comments. The first was held in Monaghan on 25th November 2004 and invited members of the focus groups and experts in cross-border studies. The second seminar, held in Carrickmacross on 8th February 2005, presented the research to policy makers invited from government departments and agencies, north and south, the local authorities, public representatives and other interested parties. Although this is a research project about the border and the communities living alongside it, the externally set terms of funding for this project required that it function in one jurisdiction (the Republic). It is not, strictly speaking, a cross- border project. Nevertheless, the perspective and experience of the northern side of the border was actively incorporated in the literature, analysis, documentation, views sought, interviews, the focus groups, the advisory committee and the consultations. Acknowledgements The researchers wish to acknowledge and thank many people for their contribution to the research. We start by acknowledging the support of the Area Development Management and Combat Poverty Agency (ADM/CPA), whose financial assistance made this project possible. 8 We thank those who contributed to the work of the focus groups. Members gave generously of their time, energy and thinking. Several organizations assisted in drawing together the focus groups: Blayney Blades, Dochas for Women, Derry & Raphoe Action, Failte Cluain Eois, Failte Abhaile, EXPAC and Clones Community Forum and we are grateful to them for their assistance. We thank those who contributed by interview, especially the following: Andy Pollak, Centre for Cross Border Studies, Armagh Patricia Clarke, Centre for Cross Border Studies, Armagh Eoin Magennis, Centre for Cross Border Studies, Armagh Donald McDonald, ADM/CPA, Monaghan Paddy Logue, ADM/CPA, Monaghan Ann McGeeney, Cross-Border Centre, Dundalk Institute of Technology Pat Treanor, Failte Clones Tommy McKearney, EXPAC, Monaghan Liam O’Dowd, Queen’s University, Belfast Allen McAdam, Cavan - Monaghan LEADER, Ballyhaise, Co Cavan Adge King, Monaghan County Development Board Colin Stutt, Colin Stutt Consulting Tony Kennedy, Cooperation Ireland Seymour Crawford TD Josephine Treanor, Clones Community Forum Angela Graham, Clones Community Forum Rosemary Kerrigan, Community Connections, Blacklion, Co Cavan Sandy Holland, Community