September 13, 2014
The World Race gives a brief explanation of Ireland: “Ireland boasts a heritage of Christianity through Catholicism. Yet the lifeless display of faith reveals that this nation is farther from God than ever. Rampant alcoholism and suicide rates reveal a desperate need for hope. Through sports, children’s outreach, street evangelism, pub ministry, and the relationships that just happen along the way, the World Race reintroduces a life-giving faith to this beautiful, historic culture.”
I got this information form Cultures of the World: Ireland by Patricia Levy, National Suicide Research Foundation, and christianaid.org.
-Ireland has incredibly high rates of suicide! For females under the age of 19, Ireland has the most suicides per year out of all of Europe, and in males the second highest.
-Ireland is not united in its attitude to the North. There are still strong feeling among a minority that the North should become part of the Republic. The biggest Loyalist group is UDA, a protestant organization that killed may Cathoiics and Republicans. The group declared a year-long ceasefire in 2003. The main group on the other side of the conflict is the IRA, when, in its heyday, the IRA controlled many areas of life in the poor housing estates. Splinter groups form this organization are still involved in armed conflict.
Despite peace talks and treaties, fighting still rages on in Ireland. The long and sordid history if hate, abuse, and discrimination are still in effect. In some areas of Ireland, “forgiveness” is taught in the non-Christian curriculum, because our generation is so terrified that the baggage of hate will pass once again to their children, and the violence will continue.
-In certain places in Ireland, religious differences are all-important. Within one small community Catholic and Protestant children may grow up never speaking to one another and are often divided physically by peace walls—high fences that protect the two sides from one another. In the cities, the residential districts are divided strictly according to religion.
-“Their (the Irish peasants’) poverty has not been exaggerated: it is on the extreme verge of human misery.” ~ Sir Walter Scott, 1825. Economy and food shortages are still a concern in Ireland.
-Illegitimate children do not have the same legal rights in Ireland as do children born within marriage.
– Ireland ranks high among European countries for consumption of alcohol. In 2003 it had the second highest per capita liter consumption in the world. The Rutland Centre estimates that one in ten people in Ireland are dealing with alcoholism. Alcohol has become the third most common reason for why people are admitted to psychiatric wards. It is estimated that every seven hours somebody in Ireland dies because of alcohol abuse. The statistics for alcohol abuse are particularly worrying that on average five other people will be impacted when one individual develops alcoholism. One reason for this is pubs are a place for social gatherings. England and Scotland also deal with these situations.
-Bees, wildflowers, badgers, and lady bugs are disappearing rapidly because pollution.
-Waste management continues to be a big issue in Ireland, especially in the cities, where there can be mounds of garbage along the streets.
Please pray with me for Ireland. Against suicide, and the hopelessness, despair, shame, and darkness that causes it!!! Please pray against the hate and un-forgiveness that has lasted so long in Ireland! Let them find that strength though Jesus Christ. There are countries that are breaking the cycle of hate with forgiveness, like Rwanda—even after such a horrendous genocide. Let Ireland be the next nation to find this!
God bless everyone.
~Tori
