Beams of low-angled autumnal sunlight shone through clear windows onto a large hosting in Moyallon's venerable and inviting Meeting House. The gathering had congregated on the first Sunday in October 2006 for Meeting for Worship prior to the opening of Moyallon Centre, County Down, close to Portadown.

Following meeting for Worship, Simon Lamb of the Centre's committee, gave an outline of the activities that led to the decision to construct the Centre.

It had been feared that Moyallon Centre, the venue for summer camps for many years, would not survive the requirements of the safety authorities. As participants in a camp were folding tarpaulin for, as they perceived, the final time. a visitor to the graveyard located beside the Meeting House spoke to them. They made reference to the approaching closure of the facility. The stranger, who is unknown to this day, put his hand in his pocket, produced six Gold Krugerand, worth £1,500 and handed them over. This was an incentive to undertake the construction of the Centre and a committee was formed.

At the time of the opening £550,000 had been raised and an additional £100,000 is required to cover the total cost. Rosemary Dickson, the oldest member of Moyallon Preparative Meeting, opened the Centre.

Rosemary traced the history of Moyallon Meeting to 1692 and quoted from Quarterly Meeting of the time. Friends dwelling at Moyallon near Knockbridge belonging to Lurgan Meeting requested permission to keep a Meeting amongst themselves. This being granted they met in a private house in the vicinity of Moyallon.

In the 16th. Century Friends in the north of Ireland were very poor and whole groups emigrated to America. A number went from this area and formed a settlement which they called Menallon; it is still one of the strongest Meetings in central Pennsylvania; so we have a very elderly daughter in America.

John Christy, the ancestor of the Richardson family, provided the site for the Meeting House and was the moving spirit in having it built in 1736, and of course the Richardson family have been closely connected with the Meeting to this day.

In the early years of the last Century R. H. Stephens Richardson held interdenominational Conventions for adults and young people in the grounds of Moyallon House over the 12th of July holidays on the same lines as the Portstewart Convention of which he was Chairman for many years. In the 1930s Robert C. and Ella Bass had a special concern for young people and with the support of the Home Mission Committee and Stephens Richardson arranged for the first camp for young people to be held in the Meeting House in 1934. Since those early days the camp has had many and varied homes, the Old School house, the stables at Moyallon House, tents, the gallery in the Meeting House and the pre-fabricated huts that stood on the present site.

"Many Friends will remember my mother, Marion Greeves. I know how delighted she would have been today because she loved the meeting and every thing to do with it and took a great interest in the camps. When the girls slept in the Gallery the fire escape consisted of a rope which was to be thrown out of the window and used to slide down into the graveyard. I remember her telling me that during camps she used to have nightmares in case the rope had to be used and someone would fall and get injured. I'm afraid this arrangement would hardly satisfy today's Health and Safety rules. Interest in and support for the Centre project has been huge, not only throughout Ireland but in England and beyond. Meetings, Trusts and individuals have contributed most generously while the committee have been tireless in fundraising. It is through the vision, dedication, and hard work of the development committee that this day has arrived."

Rosemary concluded the opening with the following petition:

"Father in heaven we give thanks today for your goodness and loving kindness to us, and we ask your blessing on this new building and all those who have worked so hard in your name to realize the dream. We ask you to bless all those who will use the Centre in the years ahead, and we pray that many may be brought to closer walk with you through the fellowship and testimonies they experience here. Amen."

Quaker Cottage, Belfast

At the end of November 2005 I was collected by car from my hotel in South Belfast and taken to Quaker Cottage by Ann Patterson and Grant McCulloch - two of the staff who run the centre.

Black Mountain encircles West Belfast and Quaker Cottage is situated halfway up its steep side, showing up very clearly as a long low white cluster of buildings, looking as if they were embedded in the side of the mountain with no apparent accessible roadway to it. In fact, we approached it via a long steep narrow car-width road, not much more than a track, with high dark scrubby hedges on either side, which curved round corners steeply to the right until we finally came upon the Cottage buildings themselves, perched high up on a narrow ridge.

The Cottage is in a unique position being situated above and in the midst of some of the most seriously deprived areas in Belfast, and straddling a protestant community on one side and a catholic community on the other. From its windows I could see far below the 'peace' line, a great red wall, with shorter promonteries coming out from it, running between the divided communities. On either side of the wall live people, perhaps only 10-15 feet apart who may never meet each other face to face. Sometimes stones and bricks are thrown over the wall and sometimes families feel threatened and forced out of their homes.

Now I am not a reporter nor a journalist and I did not take notes and did not, with hindsight, ask all the questions I might have done had I prepared better. I was there for only a short hour so I can only give you as faithful an impression as I can of what I learned and experienced during that time. *(see note below)

I learned briefly some of the historical events which have brought Quaker Cottage into being. In 1969 Friends opened Frederick Street Meeting House as a shelter for families left homeless by intimidation. The Ulster Quaker Service Committee was set up in 1969 after the beginning of the most recent 'Troubles' "to look for openings for service and reconciliation". The early 70's saw the reintroduction of 'internment without trial' and severe violence broke out in many parts. Local Quakers learned with dismay of the plight of the families of the interned men in 'Long Kesh Internment camp', which then became the notorious Maze Prison. The relatives were kept waiting for hours at a time outside the prison in all weathers and were often denied access to their men. Two Committee members went to the then Ministry of Home Affairs at Stormont to discuss this and as a result, the government erected a temporary type building which became, as far as I understand, the first prison visitors centre in the UK. Friends responded generously to the call for volunteers and the first cups of tea, made with a kettle and one gas ring, were served at the end of January 1972.

Vincent Bent, who retired just over a year ago as Director of the Ulster Quaker Service Committee after 25 years service, had an aunt who owned derelict farm buildings on the site of the present Quaker Cottage.

Money was raised by UQSC as the years went by and Quaker Cottage was born. The present extended buildings have only been in place for some 15 years but the work has been in existence for some 25 years. The Cottage is warm, homely and welcoming.

Funding has always proved to be a struggle with less than 40% of it being provided from government sources. At the moment there are 5 staff and 3 volunteers who do everything - cleaning, cooking, caring, counselling. The volunteers come mostly from America, but some from Germany, Norway and other countries from time to time. The volunteers have their work cut out caring for the children at the Cottage with a larger proportion than is normal having been diagnosed with behavioural disorders.

Ann said the volunteers bring a freshness of approach to the Cottage. They don't know or understand much of the bitter sectarian history of Northern Ireland and the questions they ask can force the families to see their lives and circumstances in a different light.

The Centre runs a year-long programme for mothers and their children. 3 programmes run concurrently starting at different times of the year with 8 to 9 families on each. The programme comprises 2 days a week for the first 8 months (mornings, a meal, then home early afternoon); a 4-day residential (a relaxed 'holiday', often the first experienced); then a day a week for the last four months. There is a waiting list of over 90 families referred by Health and Social Services as the most vulnerable and facing serious issues such as abuse of all kinds, alcoholism, anxiety, bereavement, depression, domestic violence and parenting problems.

There are three minibuses (one 'on its last legs') which are used to collect the families and return them back home again. Ann and Grant explained that the families commit to the programme from the outset, and such is the reputation which has been built up over the years that there is now a real eagerness to engage in this unusual programme.

Ann and Grant told me that the programme is unique as it is completely 'client-led' by the needs of the mothers, with support, not help, by the staff who are skilled counsellors. Ann explained that the term "help" implies that the mothers are doing it wrong, whereas, through support, each person's individuality is respected and as a result, they gain a greater understanding of their personal situations and discover new and different ways to cope with life's challenges. The staff members aim to be completely non-judgemental, no matter what occurs, and this has led to the mothers being able to be utterly honest and open about the circumstances of their lives.

The creche offers a high staff to child ratio enabling the childcare staff to better meet the needs of the children and stimulate their development. The older children participate in a wide range of activities after school which assist them to build relationships, understand and respect others, develop skills and have fun. There is also a Teenage Programme running 3 evenings per week including music sessions on Friday nights which provides young people with a positive alternative at the weekends. All the children and young people are transported to and from the Cottage by minibus.

It is significant that in times of disturbance, when, for example, burnt vehicles are used to block roads, that a way is always made for the Quaker minibuses to get through, and they are never searched or attacked. Quakers are in the unique position of being regarded by local communities as neutral, largely through their highly respected cross-community work at Quaker Cottage and at the Maze and Maghaberry Prisons.

Ann, who has been at Quaker Cottage for 12 years, and Grant, who has been there 19 years, said they were glad to talk to me about Quaker Cottage because it was important that as many people as possible knew the realities of the situation. They need volunteers for a few weeks during the summer holidays perhaps, or a student 'gap' year - anyone who could offer their time and commitment. They need money to continue and most of all they want people to know about the work and understand some thing of the difficulties being faced by the families with whom they work.

Ann said the staff as well as the mothers have to be prepared for random acts of violence and intimidation which normal society would find unacceptable and from which they have had to desensitise themselves in order to function. The families themselves often exist in daily levels of violence which can be almost intolerable. They have to be ready for anything - beatings, knee-cappings, fights, including between the women and the children, and ongoing sexual, physical and mental abuse almost beyond belief in a so-called civilised society.

The last 10 years or so have seen a lot of money being poured in by government into making materials conditions better, and so now most of the houses are "second to none in council-provided accommodation" Ann said, and benefit money has been increased. Anyone I spoke to after my visit told me the same thing - that everything was much better and quieter, very little trouble now, it was virtually over….But Ann and Grant said it was "poverty of the spirit" which they were fighting. The immense depth of bitterness and hatred ran through so many generations it was well-nigh impossible to see an end to it.

On the gable ends of the nice new houses are chilling new murals. One said "Suffer the little children…." with a painting of a child with cloven hooves and demon eyes carrying a bomb, and beside this was a painting of the Grim Reaper and the words "Yesterday, Today and…."

Against this, Ann and Grant spoke movingly about how privileged they feel to work with the people there and make a difference to their lives. They provide a place of love, care and support, and it is lovely to see the "mummies" responding and for the first time in their lives, beginning to understand that they are valued, unique and precious and that there were people that they could trust and rely on. Ann said this was a revelation to the "mummies" and they began to become stronger in themselves. The impact is infectious and can have a positive impact on their neighbours and extended families too. Years later many still come back and visit and can still have continuing care when they need it.

I came away with an enduring sense of the goodness of that place and of the people who have made it happen. I want to support them and I hope you will want to too.

*Note: I sent my original report to UQSC asking them to correct any inaccuracies and misperceptions which it might contain, and this they have been glad to do. They also added some bits of historical information that I had not picked up on, and for which I am grateful.

BUILDING A WELCOMING COMMUNITY

We in Ireland have long prided ourselves on our hospitality. We welcome people into our homes and think of ourselves as generous to a fault. Even if we had a "little local difficult in the north" we could claim we were always ready to help those in trouble in the developing world and we were kind and helpful to the few people who came here in distress. Look at the way we responded to the Vietnam boat people.

But in recent years stories of racist harassment and attacks have become more common and the niggling doubts have been creeping in that we are not so friendly to foreigners as we thought we were. We are hospitable, yes, but only on our own terms and preferably if the foreigner does not come too close or stay too long. The attacks on foreigners living here are now too numerous to ignore. The lowering of sectarian conflict in the North (though of course there is still plenty of tension and violence as we know from last summer) may even make more space for racism to rear its ugly head.

While Quakers in the south have been concerned about the issue of racism for some time, northern Quakers are only becoming more aware of the problems, and a year ago in the early part of 2005 a working group of representatives from preparative meetings in Ulster began meeting, convened by the Quaker Representative in Quaker House in Belfast. The group has been considering the extent of the problem and what could be done. It was recognised that the problem should be brought before Friends to encourage more active responses. As part of the process of awareness raising and mobilising Friends, a conference was held in Fredrick Street Meeting House on Saturday 15th October: "Friends and Neighbours". Representatives of the main immigrant communities and a local worker with immigrants and refugees were invited to share their experiences.

The conference crystallised the concerns and the thirty-six Friends that attended could go back to their meetings and increase awareness there. The members of the immigrant communities present (Hindus and Muslims) told of the racist attacks they had suffered and it was not easy to listen to what the community is doing to strangers in our midst. One had been targeted after he drew attention to himself by helping a neighbour. They had a common sense that the media were part of the problem in stoking up racial hostility but they also blamed the lack of legal protections because the police service seemed to be able to do little more than offer sympathy.

If someone from one of the long established communities of Chinese, Hindus or Muslims face discrimination and harassment, or nurses from South East Asia who come here to help our health service, the problems are even greater for recent financial migrants from Eastern and Southern Europe or asylum seekers from some of the major trouble spots in Africa, Asia or elsewhere. Denise Wright from the City Church and Embrace, "the organisation of Christians together with Asylum Seekers and Refugees in Northern Ireland", explained that recent economic migrants and refugees have no settled community of their compatriots to look to for support. They also suffer uncertainty and confusion in front of a system with which they are not familiar. They do not speak the language and do not have people from their community who can translate for them. The refugees face even more difficulty because they are not allowed to work, but the money they receive is totally inadequate (£38.96 per week for those over 25). They may even face detention and if they do work illegally they are likely to be exploited.

The title of Denise's talk was "Building a Welcoming Community" and she herself first became involved about five years ago and was much influenced by an impressive nurse from South Africa who came here to work in our hospitals but her papers were not in order and as a result she was put in detention. Such people are often the people who are just anonymous names in the news and Denise told many stories of the rewarding experiences she had had as she got to know people who were caught up in the immigration system through no fault of their own. She used a phrase that must resonate with Friends: "I met Christ in others."

The group has continued to work and looking back over its first year it has decided to continue in existence. It is clearly felt that there is a need to make Friends and others aware of the extent of racism and its impact on vulnerable guests in our society. This article is one attempt to do that. The group's main role will be to provide information for Meetings and individual Friends through regular bulletins. It can report on issues that need to be taken up and policies changed. Ulster Quaker Service Committee has translated its information leaflet for visitors to prisoners in Megaberry Prison into Cantonese and Mandarin as well as audio and Braille versions (supported by donations in memory of Martin Lynn.) It can highlight opportunities to give help through participation in cultural events or befriending and supporting individual refugees or immigrants.

It is hoped that Meetings will repeat the idea of the conference and invite members of the immigrant community to meet with them and share their experiences of being in this country. Promoting cultural awareness in schools and the community is also needed otherwise children are learning that it is all right to throw stones at strangers. There is also a need to challenge racism when it occurs. It is difficult for foreigners to speak up for themselves and while it is not easy for the rest of us, we can engage with those who are being racist. And perhaps we are better able to know the sources of the racism in individuals and society and speak to the condition of those who are hostile to strangers. Denise Wright talked at the conference about stepping outside her safety zone because the issue is too important not to get involved. She believes that ordinary people make the difference: "If you see a need do it. If someone asks you to do something do it."

Someone at the conference pointed to the sectarianism in Northern Ireland and said that there must be something in society that makes us more aggressive. That may be so, but it set me thinking about what I see in our society and more than aggression I see a parochialism that makes us impatient of strangers and ignore and avoid them and ultimately become hostile to them. How else can one explain the horrible incident which happened to the Ukrainian women who lost her job in Ballymoney and was sleeping rough while our minds were focused on preparing for Christmas and as a result she lost her legs from frost bite. It was pointed out that racists do not attend conferences and maybe few attend Quaker meetings but apathy can be as big a problem as hostility and that is in all our hands to change.

Drogheda Grammar School

In 1975, the school moved to its new location at Eden View, 3km along the south bank of the Boyne towards Momington. A fine Regency House acts at the administrative hub and residence for the Headmaster. Classrooms, dormitory building and extensive playing fields are all to its rear. In the past seven years the school has increased its enrolment by 26% and now has 220 students and 23 teaching staff. Over the past few years we have had a major building project before the Department of Education and Science and are hopeful of this coming to fruition in the next two years. Presently the school has 30 plus, five-day boarders of which, half come from overseas; Japan, Russia, Germany and Spain. Indeed throughout the school we can identify nearly 20 different nationalities.

In 2004/2005 the school embarked on its own imaginative building programme. A cost effective, futuristic construction of a large gymnasium was championed by the Board of Management. Completed in the spring of 2005, this fine hall boasts 4 badminton courts, full size basketball, volleyball and tennis courts and a large storage area and two changing rooms. When completing this facility the school resurfaced our three tennis courts. The hall was officially opened and named "The Bevan Lamb Hall" on October 7th 2005 by Bevan Lamb who served as one of the original Quaker directors back in the fifties and only recently retired from the Board of Management. The hall is well used by our own students and the national school on our campus and is likely to have wider community use in the near future.

Bevan Lamb at Drogheda Grammar School

Five years ago an Educate Together National School called Le Cheile started in temporary accommodation behind our dormitory block. They now have 250 students and are growing every year. Drogheda Grammar School is now at an advanced stage of finalising a site for Le Cheile behind our new gym hall. With our own enrolment likely to increase to 300+ in the coming years and Le Cheile set to grow to 400+ the Grammar School campus can truly have a "major educational centre" tag to it. Both schools are co-educational and multi-denominational and we are pleased that a significant number of the Le Cheile students are now transferring to Drogheda Grammar School.

Last August saw the retirement of Vernon MacMaster and Richard Moore. Two members of staff who between them served the Grammar School for 77 years. They returned at the end of October to our annual Prize Day as our guest speakers and were warmly welcomed by students and staff alike. I have particularly fond memories of Vernon as he was my physics teacher when I attended the Grammar School in 1965.

In conclusion, I wish to extend an open invitation to Friends and others to visit the school and in particularly to see "The Bevan Lamb Hall".

Richard W. Schmidt, Headmaster