Day 6: Our Last Day in Corrymeela and Ballycastle

Today we learned more about conflict with Colin Craig, who was a director for Corrymeela for a notable amount of time as well as working towards peace for over fifty years. Our conversation on conflict went all the way from politics, biopsychology, sociology, and taking a deeper look into the humanity and human nature behind the conflict. 

One specific model Craig introduced us to was the FEARS Model. This model stood for Freedom, Economics, Acceptance/Alienation, Rivalry, and Scarcity/ Survival. He drew this model out like a compass which allowed each word to be the theme for the quadrant it created. Each quadrant was then filled with the different topics or ideas we had discussed regarding what “success” was earlier in the session. This led to a deeper discussion about how social and cultural norms can lead to conflict between individuals or groups. He also explained a program he uses to work with groups called Dialogue for a Peaceful Change (DPC).

After our session with Craig came to an end, we gathered for our last community lunch at Corrymeela. Then we enjoyed some free time before meeting up as a group to go over some reflections and revisions regarding our past few days staying and learning here. As a group, we wrote down ideas and aspects we had learned and gained from our time here, things we were grateful for, as well as memories we will hold on to. 

Once our day became open for us to explore, I headed down to the town of Ballycastle. After attempting to hail a taxi, and all of them being booked for the next few hours, we decided to start the two-mile walk. At least it was coastal and very serene. On the walk, I finally got to see a seal in the wild! He, who I named Flippy, was just sunbathing (or attempting to) on a rock and just enjoying the setting as much as I have been during my time here. 

After getting to town, I found my way into a local mercantile, a few second-hand stores, and a jeweler, and then I found myself enjoying a nice meal inside The Central Bar. After all these rendezvous came to an end, Ireland started doing what Ireland did best: rain! My friend and I already knew that we could call a taxi to take us back; however, neither of our phones was able to make a call go through. We discovered a few telephone booths that we investigated and learned that they either did not work or we just couldn’t figure out how to exactly work them. So, we decided to wander to another part of the city where we knew we could get service at, and I started scouting for which local I would ask to borrow their phone. 

Eventually, I found my target and she made the call without any hesitations, which we could not express our gratitude for. While we were waiting she waited with us (I completely spaced on asking her what her name was :/), and we learned that she was just visiting the city for the day with the plan to travel to Rathlin Island to see the Puffins as they flocked. She said it had always been a dream for her to see one and it had even moved her to tears. I felt as if this was right on par with a theme I have noticed from the people here in this country; everyone here has a dream, whether that be their own self-satisfying dream or a dream for peace, and it seems as if everyone here is actively working towards it. I find it very inspiring and an aspect of life that has started to get swept under the rug back home in America. 

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Corrymeela, and I am very thankful for the people I have been able to meet, the stories and different ideas I’ve been told, and the level of humanity that can fill a room here. It is refreshing and something I will carry with me after I leave. 

Tomorrow we hit the road again! We depart for Derry in the morning and will make a stop at the Giants Causeway on the way! 

Autumn Grzenia