Peace, one child at a time. This is the motto of the Irish Children’s Program of Rochester (ICP of Rochester). For the last 34 years this organization has worked to help deliver this guiding principal both here in the United States and in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
The premise of how the program operates is simple. Northern Irish children spend a summer living with Rochester-area families learning American traditions, customs and ways. The hope is that the Northern Irish children learn how people of all faiths and religions live together peacefully regardless of their religious beliefs.
The history of the conflict in Ireland
It’s a centuries old conflict that can be traced back to the 17th century when the English came to rule Ireland. With each following century came more conflict and political dissention. In May 1921, the Government of Ireland Act passed, which split Ireland into two countries. The Republic of Ireland became a free state; Northern Ireland remained a province of England.
It’s important to note that two religions exist in Northern Ireland, the predominate religion being Protestant with Roman Catholic being the minority. The opposite holds true for the Republic of Ireland where the majority of citizens practice the Roman Catholic religion.
In the 1960s, social, economic and political unrest reined over Northern Ireland and trouble erupted. Two paramilitary armies were formed with the purpose to defend each religious community. The Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) defended the Protestant community; the Irish Republican Army (IRA) protected the Catholic community.
In January 1972, a civil rights march in Derry, Northern Ireland erupted into bloodshed and became known as ‘Bloody Sunday.’ In an effort to calm this turbulence, British troops were deployed. This effort failed and the segregation of Catholics and Protestants grew even wider as peace walls, a series of border barriers, separated Catholic and Protestant neighborhoods.
This unrest continued for decades until a paramilitary cease fire agreement in 1994 and the Good Friday Agreement of 1998, which delivered a locally elected government. It’s important to note that this is a snapshot of years of turbulence and violence. Many lives were lost in this civil war including victims of bombs, gunfire and hunger strikes.
The Irish Children’s Program was born out of a hope to remove children from Belfast for a month during the summer, and bring the Northern Irish children to America to learn religious tolerance and acceptance.
How the program works
There are two boards of directors, one in Rochester and the other Belfast, Northern Ireland. Each board works to promote the ICP of Rochester in each of their respective communities. Interested families in Northern Ireland meet with the Belfast board of directors to learn more about the program. The same happens here in Rochester.
Families in Rochester are screened and matched with a child from Northern Ireland who would be best suited to stay with the American family. The Northern Irish children are matched with American families of opposite faiths. The American families agree to host a child or children for a month from early July to early August. Members of the Northern Irish board travel with the children to America and also stay with host families. During the time in America these board members visit the Northern Irish children at their host families’ homes to ensure that the children are adjusting to life in America.
A summer learning about America and Ireland
Brockport resident Martie Lemcke learned about the Irish Children’s Program when she read a notice in the Suburban News. She attended an information meeting last winter and together with her daughter Lynny Lemcke, they decided to apply. Lemcke’s daughter and two grandsons, Chance and Mason Reynolds, live with her and she knew that they all would enjoy this experience. Martie was delighted to learn she was approved and anxiously awaited the arrival of two Irish boys, Morgan and Robert.
“I’ve always been involved with different children’s programs like my church’s summer program and Girl Scouts. We also hosted a Japanese foreign exchange student. I believe that a house full of love has elastic walls,” Martie said.
The two Northern Irish boys arrived in Rochester in early July and over the next four weeks they spent the days exploring all that Rochester has to offer. They’ve been to Niagara Falls and rode the Maid of the Mist, visited Letchworth State Park, the Lockport Caves, Seneca Park Zoo, and Newark Transportation Museum. They been to countless movies and played many games of Putt Putt golf. Some of their favorite activities were going out to get pizza and ice cream and riding in Linny Lemcke’s 1931 Model A Ford aka the jittney.
Despite some minor adjustments, the four boys got along beautifully, just as Lynny and Martie hoped they would. Robert noted that there are different words for different things here in America. “We had to get used to their accent and they had to get used to ours and the words we use,” he added.
But all in all, boys are boys no matter what country they are from. “Even boys from Europe are the same as us,” Chance said. Mason said, “It’s like I had two more brothers.”
Robert noted that America has so many opportunities. “It’s amazing all the things you can do here. Even going to Wegmans is great. It’s huge,” Robert said. Morgan added, “I know right where the sweets (candy) aisle is!”
Both Northern Irish boys agree that this has been a summer filled with much fun despite the particularly warm summer. “The heat has been fierce,” said Morgan.
Chance and Mason agree. “The ICP is a fun experience,” Mason said. Robert and Morgan will never forget the summer of 2016. “We don’t want to go home,” Robert and Morgan said in unison. “We would love to come again, if we can.”
This experience was one that the Lemcke/Reynolds family will never forget. Martie has many hopes for these two young Irish boys. “I hope that they take back to Ireland that we are all people and we are all the same. I hope that they have opened their hearts and these boys take these open hearts back to Ireland,” Martie said.
A board member’s perspective
Stephanie and Tim Cassidy have served on the ICP of Rochester’s Board since 1997 and are the longest serving board members. This couple decided to join the board after hosting a child. Over the almost 20 years, Stephanie has seen many Northern Irish children come through the program and many American families support the ICP of Rochester. One of the biggest goals of this program is to show the Northern Irish children how communities are not segregated in the United States.
“It is our hope that the Northern Irish children understand that we don’t see these religious issues here in America, that communities are not segregated. We want the kids to bring the message of peace and understanding with them when they return to Northern Ireland,” Stephanie said.
Since 1982, the ICP of Rochester has brought hundreds of children to the Rochester area. Some Northern Irish children have kept in touch with their American families. Some American families have visited children in Northern Ireland. “Social media helps to keep us all connected,” Stephanie said. Some have remained involved with the program back in Northern Ireland.
“We’ve had people who were part of the program when they were children now serve as board members. Recently another man, who came here as a child with the ICP in the 90s, traveled with the children and served as a chaperone. It’s great to see that the program is continuing,” Stephanie said.
The future
The ICP of Rochester will continue its mission to bring children to America, Stephanie said. “It’s important for people to know that these religious issues are still going on in Northern Ireland. You may not hear it in the news but it still exists and it may not be as troublesome as in the past, but it still is a very real problem,” she added.
As for Morgan and Robert and the other children from Northern Ireland – they’ve built friendships that will hopefully continue despite their differences. As Linny Lemcke explained, “This summer was the most amazing experience we could have had with these two boys because of the diversity and how we all acknowledged each others’ strengths and weaknesses.”
Those are indeed life lessons regardless of any person’s age.
To learn more about the ICP of Rochester, visit the website at irishchildrensprogram.com or follow them on Facebook at Irish Children’s Program of Rochester. Watch for news about upcoming informational meetings for host families and any special events including a fall golf tournament.
