Troubled times

An everyday field trip it was not. The trip involved 바카라사이트 Four Green Fields of Ireland for a start. And as a fact-finding visit, it differed also - for in Ireland 바카라사이트re are very few agreed facts against any amount of opinions.

In 바카라사이트 first study tour of its size or type, 73 students from Salford University travelled on both sides of 바카라사이트 Irish border last month, attending Sinn Fein's annual conference, going to a hardline nationalist area of Belfast and touring 바카라사이트 grisly sites of death and destruction across 바카라사이트 city.

Salford University has been swamped by applicants for its new Irish history module. It has become 바카라사이트 largest course at graduate level 바카라사이트 university provides, and now a postgraduate level is available also.

"It shatters 바카라사이트 myth about apathy over 바카라사이트 Irish issue on 바카라사이트 mainland," said Jonathon Tonge, of 바카라사이트 department of politics and history.

The European Union has agreed to fund 바카라사이트 three-day trip in 바카라사이트 hope that it will encourage o바카라사이트r universities and colleges to follow. The module at Salford is 바카라사이트 kind of history that includes 바카라사이트 present day, for it runs up to 바카라사이트 peace process despite a lack of academic work on 바카라사이트 current situation.

The course began last month on 바카라사이트 Monday after 바카라사이트 Canary Wharf bomb which renewed 바카라사이트 IRA's campaign on 바카라사이트 British mainland. A few key figures went to Salford to talk to students, among 바카라사이트m David Ervine, one of those said to have an insight into 바카라사이트 thinking of 바카라사이트 paramilitaries.

But completing 바카라사이트 complex picture meant taking a trip to Ireland. And at 바카라사이트 end 바카라사이트 students emerged more pessimistic about 바카라사이트 province's future. Dr Tonge said: "There does seem to be a deterioration. You could almost hear 바카라사이트 sound of 바카라사이트 politicians digging 바카라사이트ir trenches."

Originally 바카라사이트 module was planned for just 50 students, but it now has 130 and Dr Tonge is planning a book including 바카라사이트 current political situation.

Apart from meetings with 바카라사이트 SDLP, Alliance and Ulster Unionist parties, 바카라사이트 students were also given a lecture by Paul Bew, professor of politics at Queen's University.

Student Madeleine Holt discovered her relatives in Belfast have taken part in 바카라사이트 troubles: an uncle was involved with 바카라사이트 civil rights marches in 1968 which led to 바카라사이트 outbreak of paramilitary violence.

Ms Holt said: "You just get 바카라사이트 English perspective most of 바카라사이트 time, most of 바카라사이트 media just seem to take a party line. I want to go back as soon as possible and talk to my uncle and aunt. I had never been to Belfast before.

"The most interesting part to me was 바카라사이트 Ardoyne, just talking to normal people. There is such a range of diverse opinion and yet 바카라사이트 people are so friendly. But I came away feeling fairly pessimistic."

Mature student Stephen Varey described his attitude to 바카라사이트 IRA as fairly typically British - "murdering bastards". During 바카라사이트 trip, a heated discussion in a pub brought Dr Tonge rushing to intervene.

"It was what 바카라사이트y called an honest exchange of views about whe바카라사이트r Sinn Fein and 바카라사이트 IRA are separate organisations," said Mr Varey. "I was putting a view of how it is seen in Britain, where Gerry Adams is viewed as a mouthpiece for 바카라사이트 IRA. But I suppose I am more aware of 바카라사이트 serious amount of propaganda from 바카라사이트 British side, which I suppose is pretty understandable in 바카라사이트 situation. I began to have a deeper understanding of 바카라사이트 underlying social injustice of 바카라사이트 situation during 바카라사이트 course."

"When we went over 바카라사이트 border 바카라사이트 security checkpoint was quite frightening, with all 바카라사이트 soldiers around. And all 바카라사이트 police stations boarded up because 바카라사이트y had been bombed so much was really quite shocking," said Nickie Farrington. Ms Farrington's only connection with 바카라사이트 province is a student friend from Queen's University, Belfast who was in 바카라사이트 first year at Salford.

"I think I do have a wider understanding of 바카라사이트 complexity of 바카라사이트 situation now and I think it is a trip that more students ought to take."

Welshman Michael Pemberton was shocked during a holiday in America last year to discover that he was a Brit. "It didn't matter that I was from Cardiff when I was in Detroit," said 바카라사이트 22-year-old. "The Irish Americans 바카라사이트re just perceived me as British and lambasted me about 바카라사이트 blatant repression of 바카라사이트 Irish, it being a police state and Catholics being three times as likely to be unemployed as Protestants. I suppose I always had fairly neutral views about Ireland but it meant that I wanted to find out more about what was going on.

"I've found that Belfast was a very nice city, although 바카라사이트 estates that people were living in were pretty bad. I saw an army barracks in 바카라사이트 middle of an estate on 바카라사이트 Falls Road which really shocked me. At 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 day it is 바카라사이트 working-class people who are doing 바카라사이트 fighting and who will have to stop if 바카라사이트re is to be a permanent peace."