Peace Activist Richard Moore inspires Bundoran students with reconciliation message

Richard Moore, founder and CEO of Children in Crossfire, visited Magh Ene College in Bundoran recently to tell his inspirational life story.

It’s a journey which saw him blinded as a 10-year-old boy growing up in Derry in 1972 during the Northern Ireland conflict, learn to live and cope with blindness, go on to set-up an internationally recognised charity called ‘Children in Crossfire’ and to forgive the soldier that blinded him as part of a special meeting with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. 

A life-long peace activist, Richard took time out of his busy schedule to visit Bundoran and to meet with a group of WAY Project participants, young people from new communities and local transition year students as part of an initiative called ‘Our Peace Our Future.’ 

ABOVE: Board, Committee and Manager of Bundoran Community Development Danielle Carty,
pictured with other IFI UP ‘Unlocking Your Potential’ Project from Donegal Youth
Service Helen Simms and Charlene Logue along with WAY Program Manager Stephen
Barrett pictured with Richard Moore at Magh Ene College

This initiative is being led by Bundoran Community Centre and is funded with the support of the International Fund for Ireland (IFI).

Speaking about the initiative, Danielle Carty, Manager of Bundoran Community Centre said:

“We were delighted that Richard Moore visited Bundoran as a follow-on to our collaboration with Children in Crossfire in the design of a beautiful mural at our Centre. 

“We wanted to build on this connection, and with the support of the International Fund of Ireland, to do something special to mark 25 years since the Good Friday Agreement and its positive impact to transform border communities. 

“Really, now is a time to reconnect with young people on the message of community good relations and reconciliation and this message has application to different aspects of their home, school and community life. 

ABOVE: Our Peace Our Future project participants pictured with Richard Moore, Liquid
Therapy Staff, WAY Project Co-ordinator and WAY Program Manager

“Hearing the first-hand account of Richard's life experiences, and his forgiveness for those who blinded him, this message was inspirational, educational and very moving.”

Caoimhe Moloney, Project Worker of the W.A.Y. Youth Development Programme at Bundoran Community Centre said ‘this talk was part of a wider programme that we have been delivering in Bundoran with the support of the IFI. 

Many of our young people living in South Donegal have also had their own recent experiences of trauma and war and have moved to our community seeking International Protection. 

People living in communities along the border can relate to those experiences and we teamed up with innovative local charity Liquid Therapy to deliver a surf-based programme that gave young people who may be impacted by trauma, a chance to enjoy the therapeutic benefits of the ocean. 

Through surf camps in Rossnowlagh, young people built new friendships and developed new skills. We also coordinated different talks, workshops and events within the theme of community good relations, discussing equality, diversity, respect for difference, rights and raising awareness of racism and discrimination.

Speaking at the event, Stephen Barrett, Programme Manager with the IFI in Donegal said:

“Richard Moore’s message of reconciliation is one that is recognised across the globe including his special friendship with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. 

ABOVE: Liquid Therapy Facilitators Fran Duffy and Darragh Gorman with WAY Project Co-ordinator
Caoimhe Moloney, Our Peace Our Future Project participants after ADITO ‘A Dip In The Ocean’
session

“Children in Crossfire’s work benefits communities impacted by poverty and we can be very proud that someone from our community has had such an impact internationally. 

“We can also be very proud of the impact of our local Charities like Bundoran Community Centre, Liquid Therapy and other innovative groups that champion community good relations programmes in Donegal. 

“Our hope is that this work can inspire a new generation of young people from the community to get involved in volunteering and citizenship projects in school or in the community, and maybe even to consider a future career in community work.”

ABOVE: WAY Project Co-ordinator Caoimhe Moloney welcoming Richard Moore to Magh Ene College, Bundoran

The International Fund for Ireland (IFI) funds The W.A.Y. Youth Development Programme at Bundoran Community Centre which is open to any young person from the South Donegal area who would like to explore their life, skills, training, work experience or job options. Twelve young people are already taking part in and benefiting from the programme and it is helping them to transform their lives, to build new friendships, to get involved in group activities and to unlock their personal potential.  

Any young person from the community who has an interest in speaking with Caoimhe Moloney about the W.A.Y. project and its benefits are welcome to get in touch with Caoimhe Moloney on waybundoran@gmail.com or 085 105 9703.