The West Belfast Peace Wall between the Nationalist Falls/Springfield road and the Loyalist Shankill 

Wonderfully narrated Greg. As a born protestant (now atheist) who grew up in the shadow of the peace wall (literally) I had a sense of hope 13 years ago which is now dwindling. I was born in 7th street on the Shankill and spent some years living in Mountcashel street about 50 metres from the peace wall. In all I spent 27 years in the shadow of the thing. I married a catholic and could never fully comprehend why we were killing each other. I think the crux is that thugs on both sides have committed atrocities and it's now difficult for both sides to forgive past actions. I call myself Irish and am proud of it. My concern is that a referendum, regardless of which way it goes, will see one side up in arms.

Nothing says sectarian conflict like smoothe, avante garde jazz, Nice.

I just watched a video a few days ago about the August 1969 attack on Bombay St. so I found the part that showed the memorial garden especially poignant. Thanks for this eye opening video.

I grew up in the shadow of the wall went to school at st galls and our playground was right at the wall . As a kid we throw stones at each other even before there was a wall , I had shots fired at me and witnessed two murders. At the same time I had a fantastic childhood, exciting, sometimes dangerous but also fun with some great characters.

Was only there two weeks ago fascinating to look at even wrote my name on it 👍😁🇯🇪🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Great footage and music. You are right, people on both sides deserve better

Having served on the Peace Line over 50 years ago, it is not the wall which I remember foremost, but the many kind people on both sides of the fence who befriended me, from the kids in the Clonard to the families in North Howard Street. Many of their names are still etched in my memory.

Glad you made this video. Particularly apt for this particular moment. Great music too!

thank you for making this daring video, now i know where certain murals reside exactly, something i was not fully educated on ☺

the good thing about the wall is before covid hundreds would come by coach, bus and black taxis each day as tourists, and they bring money to the local economy. jobs were created to make the local area pretty, with nice grass areas, trees, and hedges. so not all bad.

The UK and the Irish republic have each changed so much in the last 50 years as to be socially and economically new countries - and close too as we're essentially all family. So to have the people in this part of our islands so absolutely polarised is tragic and out of synch with how the rest of us live . I know - it's historic and massively complicated so I'm not judging , just hoping they can find trust and peace .

Thank you for a very professional and informative film. The music was particularly apt.

Born in north belfast in 63 ( lower oldpark ) peace wall where I grew up now living in USA, have not been back since 1994 will never return.

Plastic paddy here - British born and raised with an Irish Da. I spent a lot of my summer holidays in Ireland and was schooled there for a while during UK recessions. From what I recall, the UK doesn't want NI, nor does Ireland. It literally is its own enclave, although I think the republicans have the better chances. Union/loyalists will be in for a shock if they boat over to Scotland, and England, there'd be less culture shock if they just swallowed their pride and tolerated the tri-colour flag. To this day it baffles me. Its like me saying I am making an outpost off Addis Ababa in Worcestershire

This is awesome. Last time I was in Belfast I was so young I can't even remember. Would love to go bikepack NI someday.

This is very informative. Thank you. I’m coming to Northern Ireland for the first time from May 6-May 26,2023. I will be taking a black taxi tour of these areas.I will be based in Ballycastle , driving myself around, so I really appreciate your videos which help me to plan what sites I wish to see. Cheers

Great content. Big thumbs up 😊

Thanks for this future history lesson 🤞

Belfast is so depressing due to this. It's very telling that the peoplein these run-down estates can't live next to one another without 20-foot high barriers to separate them, yet travel to a middle class part of Belfast and there's no barriers - people live side by side. Lack of education and the fostering of intolerance and hatred from one generation to the next is undoubtedly a major cause of conflict that has never faded away. Build one big wall around the lot of them and let them duke it out to the death. They are an embarrassment to both communities they claim to be a part of.

Just subscribed from sunny Phoenix Arizona. Visited and signed peace wall with my wife and 6 year old son in 2015.

This was so interesting, thank you

I can remember as a child ( about 4 years old ) my grandmother walking me through the waste land in the Cupar street area when the IRA opened fire on an Army foot patrol, a brave soldier pushed my Granny and me to the ground and lay over the top of us as the shots rang out !! I will never forget that incident or how someone could have so much hate for someone as to try to kill them. Thank you to that soldier the unsung hero 🙏❤

Definitely need to do a similar “Peace Wall " history of North Belfast. In my area Greencastle the most recent gates and wall are only around 15 years old

Great filming and content will continue to watch from Arizona

Chilling. Happily, no paddywhackery, and great music.

I'm shocked, I've always known there has been a wall of some kind, but I never knew IT was so long and so high, that looks higher than prison walls, my God, this hatred has been going on for far too long

I have to comment on one phrase by Naked Ireland; but first, my memories: I remember the shootings and bombings; I remember the barricades, I remember the collusion between IRA and UFF (amongst others); I remember the victims, the biased media, the burning buses, the utter carnage and destruction of beautiful buildings, being prevented from going to work, being body-searched at one checkpoint after another; I remember the children who should have been kept at home, but were out at all hours baiting the police and army with stones and petrol bombs; I remember the intimidation prevalent on both sides; I remember the sadness; but most of all I remember the absolute hatred running rampant throughout the Province - a hatred mixed with denial of involvement by politicians and the public alike in Nationalist, Republican and Loyalist communities. Today, NI is bathing in a new era of freedom (arguably for some), but false, for the current face of extremism and violence is only partially hidden, but still active. Despite its plastic facade, Belfast is a bright, new and clean city which, in a moment can and probably will, return to those bad old days, simply because two diametrically opposed societies both want the same thing - a piece of the island that each claims as its own. Naked Ireland makes the comment that both communities "deserve" the peace. In my view, none of those hard-line communities deserve what they've been given. In those areas you highlighted, their new homes - born out of the troubles - have not been maintained as they should, and simply allowed to decay through negligent care by the occupiers. Many of the occupiers don't want to work because the State gives them everything they need, thus allowing them the "freedom" to propagate their hate programmes at will. I remember dirty old Belfast, its very many slums in both Catholic and Protestant areas; I remember the big industries that got no State Aid against the American and rising Asian big businesses that took our Linen Industry, Ship-building Industry, Rope-making Industry, Tobacco Industry, Aircraft Industry and so many other businesses, and left us reeling. Neither the Irish nor British Governments got to grips with any of what was going in NI - to their shame. In my old NI community, we were a well-balanced mix of religions, and our families lived, worked and socialised together at all "class" levels. In quite a few instances they even inter-married. I would go back to live there tomorrow if I could, although age and infirmity has blocked all chance of that; but I'm also fearful that things have not really changed as a whole in the Province, because the hatred has never dissipated.

They need pulled down spent my life living in West Belfast and them walls and the segregation between the two community's the reason why some parts of northern Ireland still stuck in the past a handful of small norrowminded people holding the majority back growing up in the 80s and 90s I've seen how far the this country has came being separate just imagine what could have been achieved if they had worked together.

. I am older than the walls !! Never seen any comprehensive footage of the so called “Peace walls “. Incredible,didn’t know that such walls existed in other NI towns.

Looks bad yet Belfast is the most interesting place in Europe. As a visitor they treat you very well!

The video acknowledges the two 'sympathies', ie. Israelis and Palestinians, held by the two communities in NI. Ironically, the mid-East situation also features separating walls though on a much larger scale. Just an observation, really.

This video n the music with it make the place look creepy like a ghost town

Yes live near larnark way wall. I definitely do not call them "peace walls" lol but they serve a purpose.

I moved into clonard 1982 before the wall was there our back wall about 18 feet high was the peace line safe to say we never had back windows for very long

They hate each other for being the wrong kind of Christian!

Nice video! I drive past the wall everyday on my way to school!

A good video, love the back ground music.

I've made videos about it and still can't believe it. Love the jazz 😁

Sad. So sad. God knows when they'll no longer be needed.

WHOEVER CHOOSE THAT MUSIC IS TRYING TO REIGNITE THE TROUBLES

Wonderful scoring with that dissonance, and the audio levels are well balanced. It seemed (from the other side of the Irish sea) that democratic reunification was possible before Brexit, or possibly even in spite of it. My old dad ran away as a boy from the sectarianism long before the modern troubles began.

The music is a bit mad lol but again nice content I am from Belfast nothing new to me but I know one thing , they’ll never take them down cheers love your channel 👏

What is with the music? 😂

Townsend Street in the Lower Shankill in Belfast in Northern Ireland ....

I visited from Australia 🇦🇺

The Berlin wall had a height of 3.60 m. Part of that wall in Belfast or better the wire fence must be over 12 m. Unbelievable.

IMAGINE indeed!

I know the schools are seperated but is there any cross community schooling projects like sports teams integrating for matches . I.e Catholic school kids joining the local Protestant school to play Rugby and vise versa for GAA. Integration through schooling seems the only way forward but starting out getting kids to play sports together might be a great way to get to know ones neighbour .

Would be great if you could do a video in the Short Strand area

I was there last year. It was actually quite peaceful and safe. Did not see dangerous thugs hanging around like in the USA. The law does a good job there.

This reminds me of a war zone. I am really glad that I don’t have to live there.

Great video 👍🏻

I visited Falls road but I didn't make it to the Peace Walls. I didn't like the vibe so I got out of there as soon as possible. I did manage to see the Rememberance Garden.

Got a subscriber 😀 great content!

Sad and depressing. I feel like I won the lottery being born in a land of peace and plenty. The biggest gripe I have against my neighbors is when one of their dogs craps on my lawn. Thanks for the perspective.

I live near it and use it as a short cut across town. It is ugly though . Reminds me of the Berlin Wall which I visited in my twenties. The Berlin Wall had three layers. These walls, we believe, are part of a greater experiment. To gauge long term effects of walling people in, in case it’s needed someday. PS I used to work in that Townsend church.

As per usual great pics, editing, music and commentary. However know Belfast well and not sure about the dates the peace walls were built, as so important facts are correct otherwise will undermine the VIDEO. Was a student in Belfast for 4 years from 1975 and for several summer seasons did security work with securicor as a dog handler in buildings all over west Belfast. Travelling from the university area through the Shankill road, the Falls Road into Ballymurphy, Ardoyne and all over west Belfast. This at the height of the troubles with the hunger strikes going on, I have no recollection of any peace walls stopping me getting to work. More like burning buses or barricades on streets. Not sure you have the correct dates on the erection of the peace walls, as perhaps grew up over a much longer period of time. Perhaps reason walls are still up is Ulster has a No Surrender Policy to CHANGE from people. Nothing changes.

I do hope these walls of division get removed they only enhance division disrespect to difference .. when in truth more in common .. one day it will happen when new beginnings move on

Good video but that background music is very irritating 😂

Nice video.

Did the taxi tour very educational 2hrs long

iserved over there in 92 93 part of me is still there

This is insane. The pictures are very sad and depressing. I was not aware that the „peace walls“ were so extreme. I can’t see any hope for a peaceful future of Northern Ireland. 😔

Having British Protestants who have been living in NI for 400 years are not the problem. There are plenty of Protestants all over Ireland and now pretty much every other religion too- and sect of -faith, spirituality, LGBTQ community,and over 120 different ethnic groups and nationalities living on the Island who all have the right and freedom to practice their own beliefs. All have their own place and identities and can be respected in a modern 21th century Ireland. The problem is that NI is still being ruled by the British Gov' which is not acceptable and sadly there will always be problems as long as their rule remains. NI people of what ever community should have zero fear of being part of a United Ireland.As an Irishman myself,all will be welcomed. NI people will not have any problems keeping whatever identity they choose.They will not loose their identity. Time to move on,put the past behind and enter into a new globalised modern Europe/World. And set an example,send a message to the middle east and the world that conflicts can be solved peacefully.This in my opinion would be the greatest of all outcomes of a peaceful United Ireland.

Good video, loved the jazz but such BS about impoverished people living here, such BS, I live here and nobody is living in poverty... Want to see poverty.... Go to Afghanistan, or 1/2 of the world with supposedly nothing and compare... Such BS does my head in and my family have lived in Clonard 100+ years and never felt or were impoverished. As for the peace lines they are needed and this video shows some of the reasons why but this BS poverty reason is not the reason they are required. As for comparisons to the Cold War and Berlin peacelines it is of no comparison as this is a 400+ year old civil war etc. look it up! As for the falling of Belfast Walls it is not going to happen anytime soon, what if a democratic vote delivers Irish unity? Well they will be glad the walls never came down... And on it goes again for the next century.... 😎

Peace wall… sounds more like a war wall.

unbelievable GHETTOS....HORROR... :-( [greetings from Poland]

My life 😥

Kind of depressing, but it is what it is...As Ronald Reagan said to Mikail Gorbachev..."Tear down these walls"

I pass these peace walls quite a bit and you see often calls for them to be taken down but were unfortunately just not ready, one of the 12th of July Bonfires is on the gated wasteground just a few feet from the biggest wall featured connecting to North Howard St. The 12th of July Bonfire will never drop the sectarian element as it's that deeply ingrained, and a this isn't a Loyalists are to blame post just stating facts as someone who uses that stretch of road alot.

The most beautiful country in the world and ye/we let the Brits build a pile of ugly walls everywhere, i don't know how anyone could live like this, tear down these walls

I can't get my head round why you bled Jazz music over this video................WHY?.........

Depressing place

I love the music.

Sure they all sell gear 2 each other lol

21st century Europe...Like the Middle East religious abyss...

The wall is an obscenity

Cool video and informative but that jazz music almost made me stop watching like 3 times 😂😂😂

All these unfortunate People are living in an open Prison whether the realise it or not. The Cost of British Colonialism, that both Communities are still paying for.

Sad, but I guess that’s the price to pay for the ridiculous decision to partition Ireland.

Keeps the savages away from prods on the shankill....

Religion, lol.

I would've enjoyed the video if it wasn't for that horrible background music