This arpillera, the first made by long-time quilter Sonia Copeland, came about when it looked like the hard-won peace in Northern Ireland was threatened by three killings in early 2009.
Sonia explains: "My piece shows the Belfast City Hall, and in the foreground, a representation of one of the cross-community demonstrations, which followed the murders of Constable Stephen Carroll and Sappers Mark Quinsy and Patrick Asimkar by so called 'Republican terrorists'." This demonstration of support for the victims and their families was important to Sonia, who had served in the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) during the worst years of The Troubles and had suffered as a result of terrorist attacks on four occasions.
Fear about going back to a time of war strengthened Sonia's resolve for peace: "It seemed to me that the peace that was won with so much pain and suffering was once again to be snatched away. I resolved that nothing and no one would steal from my children the right to a peaceful life, which was stolen from me and my generation."
The theme and sentiments depicted by Sonia illustrate the continuing fragility of peace in present day Northern Ireland. Nonetheless, the proliferation of cross community projects promoting a shared understanding and peaceful co-existence between diverse groups is building foundations for a more peaceful future for the next generation.
This arpillera is also documented in Accounts of the Conflict a digital archive of personal accounts of the conflict in and about Northern Ireland, located at the International Conflict Research Institute (INCORE), Ulster University. A total of 10 textiles from the Conflict Textiles collection are included in “Accounts of the Conflict”.
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