New ‘café culture’ in city but is this a break from the Troubles

But academics aren’t sure whether we have left the Troubles behind or are having a generational break from communal violence.

These are just some of the points made in a new Community Relations Council report looking at security, equality, political progress and cohesion and sharing in Northern Ireland.

Billed “the first major stock-taking of the peace process since the Belfast Agreement” it claims Londonderry is now a centre of urban sophistication boasting a ‘cappuccino culture’ enjoyed by rich people who care more about consumerism than tribal identity.

The startling claim is one of ten key points made by Dr Paul Nolan in the first Northern Ireland Peace Monitoring Report, which has been newly published by the Community Relations Council.

Dr Nolan argues that “a new, confident, and neutral urban culture has emerged” in Londonderry and Belfast.

He states: “One of the unpredicted features of the peace process has been the emergence of Belfast and Derry-Londonderry as centres of urban sophistication, with the staging of events like the MTV awards in Belfast and the securing of the City of Culture contract for Derry-Londonderry.

“These are flagship events rather than everyday occurrences, but the glowing presentation of Northern Ireland in a wide range of tourist magazines has not been based solely on such glamorous occasions.

“Attention has focused more on the relaxed environment of the city centres, which now boast a new ‘cappuccino culture,’ busy restaurants, shopping malls and night clubs.

“Economically, the expansion of the public space in this way depends much more on domestic support than the tourist trade, and it is clear that for an affluent layer within Northern Ireland there is a post- ‘Troubles’ society to be enjoyed where consumption identities matter more than tribal loyalties.”

Elsewhere the report is less enthusiastic noting that there were 452 sectarian attacks in the city between 2005 and 2009.

It also refers to ongoing violence by republican groups like the Real IRA and Óglaigh na hÉireann including attacks on banks and the Londonderry City of Culture office and a ‘proxy bomb’ attack on Strand Road police station.

The report also says that whilst ‘peace walls’ are largely confined to Belfast “the River Foyle is the dividing line between the nationalist and unionist communities” in Londonderry.

Later Dr Nolan goes on to claim that the new EU funded Peace Bridge across the dividing Foyle links the ‘city side’ with the Waterside, or those who say Derry with those who say Londonderry,” which may raise eyebrows in the Fountain and in nationalist areas of the Waterside.

Notwithstanding Londonderry’s new urban sophistication the report notes the negative experience of some members of the gay and lesbian community in the city although this has improved.

“In 2010 Derry, which had developed a reputation for homophobic attacks, held its first Pride parade with encouragement and praise from local politicians - including the Mayor, Colum Eastwood, who joined the march,” the report states.

Dr Nolan elsewhere points out that: “A more relaxed gay culture has developed though in Belfast and Derry, both now hosting large-scale Pride events, and there is public acceptance of gay bars, and social and sporting clubs.

“This wider acceptance does not mitigate the importance of homophobic crime (reported in the sense of safety dimension), but relationships between the PSNI and the gay community have improved.”

Despite the report’s view that Northern Ireland’s political institutions are secure and that the level of violence is down it also raises a number of questions.

It accepts that paramilitarism remains; the policing deal is insecure; the recession is reducing equality; youth unemployment is potentially destabilising; society is still very divided; and there is no solution for dealing with the past.

Dr Paul Nolan says: “To date the indicators have been sending out contradictory messages. Violence has declined but it most certainly has not gone away. There is increased cooperation at the political level but there is also an increase in the number of interface barriers.

“We have seen interesting experiments in shared housing and shared education but 92.5 per cent of school enrolments are still in schools that are perceived to be for one community only, and 90 per cent of social housing is for single identity communities.

“At times Northern Ireland seems to be moving forward; at other times it seems in danger of lurching back into the past.

“Which is it to be? Are we leaving the Troubles behind, or does the continuation of sectarian division mean that at some point in the future the underlying tensions could see a violent eruption?

“Is it possible that this period of peace might turn out to be only a generational truce? The Peace Monitoring Report has been set up to answer these questions.”

Foyle MLA SDLP Colum Eastwood commented: “This comprehensive report by the Community Relations Council is a clear caution that this society cannot take our peace for granted nor can we rest easy on what has been achieved thus far.

“Stormont must not be allowed to become a cabal of self-congratulation.

“Peace should not simply be viewed as the absence of violence. It must be much more fundamental. Peace in the North must be the founding tool, used to ingrain good governance and community cohesion, ultimately providing a template for a shared and prosperous future for our people’

“It is this reconciliation agenda which must be ceaselessly pursued by every Stormont Minister and Department,” he said.