By Jonny Clark, Corrymeela. The Community Relations Council supports the group through its Core Funding Scheme.
A number of years ago an etymologist of Irish came by the Corrymeela centre on the north coast and was asked what they thought the name “Corrymeela” might mean. It had been thought it meant “hill of harmony”, a utopian ideal that seemed perfect. “No” she said, “it probably means something more like…a lumpy crossing place”. Somehow these strange words appeared to more deeply resonate with the experience of the many who have come to and lived in Corrymeela over the years. The ebb and flow, give and take, compromises, near misses and successes of our peace process probably has more in common with the ferry crossing from Ballycastle to Rathlin island than some Hollywood vision of a hill of harmony.
The Corrymeela Community was founded 60 years ago as a vision of hope, two decades after Ray Davey had witnessed the bombing of Dresden from a Prisoner of War camp nearby. Within three years of the founding of the community centre at Ballycastle, the Troubles had started and the idea of a peace centre was no longer aspirational but a difficult and vital reality in our society. Ray Davey said, "We hope that Corrymeela will come to be known as ‘the Open Village’, open to all people of good will who are willing to meet each other, to learn from each other and work together for the good of all."
The Linenhall Library is hosting an exhibition for the 60th anniversary of Corrymeela until the middle of May 2026. A number of events have been held and many guests have come through looking at displays and artifacts of the peacebuilding that has emanated from this lumpy crossing place. Among the events held, Corrymeela staff member Jonny Clark held a live recording of the Corrymeela Podcast with Monica McWilliams. The Programme staff team held an event called Brave Spaces, an evening of platforming artists and activists, a night for listening to the wisdom learned from the margins. There have also been puppet shows, walking tours and an event of the singing of Corrymeela songs. The exhibition will be closing with a Tenx9 storytelling event in May 2026.
One of the most consequential thinkers and peacebuilders, someone crucial to the development of Corrymeela, was Derick Wilson who sadly passed away in November 2024. For Derick the word reconciliation could be understood as hope.
One of his quotes is displayed in the exhibition space:
“To have hope is not to be naive. Rather it is to have vision or belief that people could choose to live in new ways beyond distrust, enmity and violence. Hope is a thread uniting the daily actions of embracing, including welcoming and holding one another as different people sharing one space, one town, one society, one world. It is to know that our hope filled small acts accumulate and are linked with many other people who have dared, currently dare and in the future will still dare to be hope filled … may we dare to hope every day.”
Further info
Read more about The Corrymeela Community.