Monaghan Celebrates 50 Years of Project Children's Peace Legacy
When David Sands first boarded a plane to Connecticut in 1977 at age 14, he'd never traveled beyond his troubled Belfast neighborhood. Seventy summers later, the engineer credits Project Children with saving him from becoming "just another Troubles statistic" during Northern Ireland's darkest years.
"That American summer taught me conflict wasn't normal," Sands shared during Monaghan's anniversary preparations. "I returned home believing solutions existed - that changed everything."
The Humble Beginning
New York bomb squad officer Denis Mulcahy founded Project Children in 1975, haunted by images of children playing near Belfast bomb sites. What began with 6 teenagers hosted in his garage grew into 53,000 participants over fifty years, creating improbable family bonds across war zones and American suburbs.
Monaghan became crucial to operations when local volunteers established transport hubs at Drumbear Inn. "Parents trusted us with their children's lives," reflects coordinator Margaret McDermott. "We'd meet distraught mothers removing shrapnel from schoolbags before sending kids to the airport."
More Than a Vacation
While initially conceived as summer respites, the program evolved to include internship exchanges where Catholic and Protestant teens rebuilt communities together. Former rivals shared dorm rooms at University of Montana reconciliation camps, planting seeds for future peace negotiators.
Now grown participants describe profound legacies:
- Second-generation bonds: Many American host families now welcome children of original participants
- Economic bridges: 64% of interns secured cross-community employment
- Political impact: 7 program alumni served in Stormont's post-Good Friday government
Golden Anniversary Celebrations
This weekend's events bring full circle:
- October 10: Peace Park dedication with American and Irish diplomats
- October 11: Reunion concert featuring original 1975 choir
- October 12: Documentary premiere tracking 5 participants' journeys
"The greatest success?" Mulcahy muses at 89. "Those early kids returned home insisting conflict wasn't inevitable. That stubborn hope built peace."