{"product_id":"short-strand-a-year-in-conflict-remembering-1971","title":"Short Strand A year In Conflict. Remembering 1971","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe parish of St.Matthew's, Ballymacarrett\/ Short Strand houses one of the oldest Catholic communities in Belfast, dating back to 1830.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is a community history fought with conflict: its geographical location on the fringe of Unionist East Belfast has drawn it directly into the annals of sectarian warfare that engulfed Belfast since 1853.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNestled against the east side of the River Lagan it was a close-knit parish where many families are related reflecting several generations if settlement creating a core of community spirit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNationalist Ballymacarrett had a strong tradition, firstly of Home Rule politics and later of Republicanism in the struggle for Irish Independence. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeveral hundred men from the district fought in WW1, while later in 1920, the first IRA Company, which by the summer of 1921 had a nominal role of ninety volunteers, was raised to defend the area during the 1920-1922 period of the conflict. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the decades that followed, the district played a prominent role in the rebuilding of the Belfast IRA resulting in the Internment and imprisonment of many local Republicans. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat tradition was maintained in the recent conflict with the 1970-1972 period in particular taking its toll of loss on a parish that fought, suffered and endured for the basic right of equality and national identity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvery district has its own story of struggle: events of tragedy and resistance that shaped community resilence and empowerment. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis small, but highly informative book tells the story of one intense four-month period during 1971 which highlights the scale of conflict that engulfed one community in a city at war.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"An Fhuiseog \/ The Lark Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":62753767358851,"sku":null,"price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0564\/5212\/0731\/files\/rn-image_picker_lib_temp_03a06c5f-83cd-42dc-8677-fbc6ef35cbcd.jpg?v=1791286657","url":"https:\/\/anfhuiseog.ie\/products\/short-strand-a-year-in-conflict-remembering-1971","provider":"An Fhuiseog \/ The Lark Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}