Derry Diary #17
15 July 2004
Rosemount
muy rainy this eve.

Last time I saw Cal she was going out with the "girls." The PSNI was notified and milk cartons have been printed.

The kids went to Portrush this morning/afternoon with 65 of the wanes from Brooke Park Youth Club. It must have been a long day because they came home knackered and hungry. On the bus Nora took a fake cigarette away from one of the kids who demanded it back. Nora stood her ground and the little boy said,"I'll head-butt ye." He didn't and she didn't.

The ride of the day was "Freakout" which swung up and down while spinning around. I've been there many times but didn't need a ride to do that. Each leader had a number of kids to account for for the day. This sounds easy but it can be a nightmare. Everything was going well until the tokens were handed out and the kids scrambled to the 4 corners of the park. Every man/woman for themselves. From 10 or 12 kids per group maybe 3 or less stayed by the leaders.

Andrew rode his very first upside down roller coaster called the Big Dipper. He thought it was fun and wanted to ride "Freak-Out" but settled on the Ghost Train which turned out to be lame.

The Big Dipper

The Wee Dipper

An amazing discovery that the kids made was the honey comb ice cream. The ice cream in the North has always been exceptional, but it seems this particular flavor won all across the board. Evidently it has real home comb mixed in with the vanilla and the honey swirl. Mmmmmmmm boy.

Later on this day we went to the Mem (the Memorial Hall of the Apprentice Boys). This was my second trip and Scott, our guide seemed more comfortable with strange Americans. However not quite comfortable enough for him and his friend Andy to join us up the hill in Rosemount. Unfortunately for me, that will have to be accomplished by the next leader to Derry, whomever that may be.

The Group with Scott (3rd from rt) and Andy (2nd from rt)

Actually from the roof you can see for miles. During the course of the conversation, Andy met Bobby who had a few words to say about the 12th march in Coleraine (http://www.blackshade.net/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=133) He thought Bobby's remarks were a bit extreme.

Andy is off to Queen's University in Belfast to study Engineering and Scott may be off as well to study computers. Sounds like a plan. Both young men are looking at the horizon. Aren't we all? But then I think of Joni Mitchell's song "Big Yellow Taxi" and remember, "don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you got 'till its gone...." (Yes I quote the great poets from time to time.) I need to live in the now, not the past.

Scott and Andy took us through the Apprentice Boys Hall from top to bottom. Not many boggies or Rosemount or Creggan folks have been inside. In the old days (pre-troubles) the dance hall was open to the community. Different time and different era. Now it seems we need to wear the right jersey and walk in the right part of town and keep to ourselves. I hope someday it will be the other way around. Scott, every year, takes a risk with us who, by this time have heard story after story after story of this march and that march. But at the end of the day, those things that bind a community are pretty universal. Common threads, like respect, and access to education and health care and crime and the economy.

Visiting as we did the various rooms used for meetings of the Orange Order, the Black Perceptory, and the Apprentice Boys, I can see that history runs deep. It is a celebration. But you know and I know that history is interim reports issued periodically. These reports then are evaluated and if it is determined that for the common good a direction should be changed, then so be it.

Bobby not sure if he is buying all of this

It was good to see Scott and Andy again and how they have changed and matured.

Dinner was via the chipper on our way back up the hill to Rosemount. It was wonderful. The rain was coming down in buckets so it was nice to curl up and munch away.

Mel's prayer/journaling was again, live in the moment taking each one as it comes and being fully present to it. We have less than 5 days left in the Maiden City and there is still stuff to soak up. Meanwhile I'll have to check the all-points bulletins for any sign of my co-leader

More later.

cheers,

paul and Cal(AWOL)