Belfast Women Forge Friendship Across 39 Remaining Peace Walls
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · May 13
Belfast Women Forge Friendship Across 39 Remaining Peace Walls
3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 13
Lily Brannon, 73, and Michelle Bradley, 46, say a west Belfast peace wall turns a two-minute trip between their homes into a 20- to 30-minute walk, yet a cross-community project helped them become close friends.
The Black Mountain Shared Space programme, funded by the International Fund for Ireland, brought Protestant and Catholic residents together through art sessions and tougher dialogue that both women said eased early suspicion and fear.
Their friendship now extends beyond the scheme: Lily has learned some Irish, and she has visited Michelle's GAA club, reflecting what Michelle called a better understanding without giving up their own identities.
Northern Ireland still has 39 peace walls, down from 59 when justice powers were devolved in 2010, underscoring how physical barriers remain even as community groups try to reduce psychological ones.
The International Fund for Ireland, marking its 40th anniversary after raising about £780 million since 1986, says it will keep backing local peace-building efforts in arts, culture, sport and enterprise.
Why do miles of peace walls still divide Belfast neighbors decades after the historic Good Friday Agreement?
As international peace funds end, what is the plan to stop new generations from growing up behind Belfast's walls?
From Division to Dialogue: Women’s Centres and the Slow Transformation of Belfast’s Peace Walls
Overview
As of 2026, Belfast is making progress toward lasting peace, with grassroots initiatives playing a key role in breaking down both physical and psychological barriers that still divide the city. While inter-community clashes are now rare, the peace lines and nightly closures like the Shankill's metal door remain as reminders of past divisions. In this changing landscape, women have become central figures, leading efforts to build cross-community friendships and create shared spaces that challenge old divides. Their leadership is helping to foster trust and understanding, driving Belfast closer to a more united and peaceful future.