Yesterday was my first research field trip in Northern Ireland. We went to a Catholic Grammar School in the town of Lurgan. Lurgan is a very divided community, and has a reputation for violence, alcohol abuse and rioting. There is an invisible line down the centre of the town that divides up where the so –called Catholic and so-called Protestants live and hang out. This area is a poor area, and features in the news very often for various reasons. The aim of the study is to determine what the youth think can be done to improve the area, as well as what can be done to improve community relations between Catholic and Protestant youth.
Anyway, my point is that I was horrified at what the girls were allowed to wear to school! In my day*, we weren’t allowed to wear nail polish, colourful earrings (several in one ear!), make-up, rings, loose hair and multi-coloured backpacks. They were also wearing all kinds of black pumps! Some girls looked like they were ready for a night out instead of going to school. And that’s one of the better schools in this country! I shudder to think what our kids will be allowed to do when they are of school-going age. Might just have to send them to school back home!
*how old do I sound! ;)
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