The Riverbrooke Experience by John Burke
In two thousand and two a courageous few
Had a vision of working cross-border,
Now the River and Brooke together did join to counter profound disorder. 
So no longer the River and Brooke were divided
Neath the foothills of Sligo nor the Lakes of Fermanagh.
Whilst the river it flows from Arrow each day
And meanders past Millview
To the sea on its way.
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RIVERBROOKE CROSS-BORDER INITIATIVE

A Brief History

The Riverbrooke Cross-Border Initiative is an award winning peace project and the work of a partnership that has been in existence for 12 years.  The partnership is between Riverstown Enterprise Development (Sligo) Ltd and Brookeborough and District Community Development Association, Co Fermanagh. 

Riverstown and Brookeborough have much in common.  Both are small rural villages with large agricultural hinterlands.  Both villages have been by-passed by main roads.  Both communities have also experienced trauma as a direct result of partition and the more recent troubles. 

Both development groups have had similar journeys, coming together to support their communities following the difficult years of the 1980’s when community confidence was extremely low.  Both groups successfully undertook major capital projects which helped address the needs in their respective communities. 

The two development groups originally came together in 1995 through a shared interest in vintage.  As they came to know each other they began to explore the possibility of working together and undertook a number of small projects.  In 1999 they undertook feasibility study and in 2000 a training project which resulted in the restoration of an old railway carriage which now has pride of place at the Station House, Brookeborough.  At this stage they felt their partnership was sufficiently strong to extend the work into their communities.

In 2002 the Riverbrooke partnership successfully applied for funding under the EU Peace II programme.  They were awarded €350,000 to engage in cross-border work.  The aim of the project is – Rural communities working to break down barriers and build trust and friendship.

The partnerships has grown from a tentative relationship between two groups with a few casual exchanges to a full-time project with a huge programme of activity, employing 3 staff, and in its first three years having almost 600 participants. 

Riverbrooke is committed to the ideal of a cross-border, peace project, delivered through a dedicated partnership.  The project engaged in a wide range of work – cultural, heritage, art, crafts, training, environmental, vintage, history, inter-schools, youth, women, churches, discussion groups and much more.  Groups came together to enjoy shared interests and to engage in challenging and stimulating discussion. 

2006 was a year of special celebration for the Riverbrooke Initiative.  The project marked ten years of cross-border working by hosting a huge International Peace Conference – ‘Peace in Post Conflict Societies’.  With guest speakers from South Africa and the Balkans the conference attracted delegates from all over Ireland.  We were also the delighted recipients of an EU award in recognition of our work. 

But always the best recommendation of the work is the feedback we receive from the people who take part in the programme:-

"I am starting to understand"

I saw things, heard things, that I didn’t know
Listened to the stories, felt the pain
Challenged my thinking, changed my opinions
Discussion helps clarify own thinking
Seeing & hearing things from different angles & points of view
I didn’t really understand what it was like to live in NI.  I am starting to understand
Useful to develop awareness from different backgrounds
The background of trust give opportunities to meet speakers and express honest views and feelings
Hard to hear but worth listening to
Great to get out of our comfort zones. Self confidence is built facing up to our challenges
The peace process has begun but there is a lot to do……