Fr Martin Magill is known by some as a peacemaker priest.  He is parish priest at St Johns on the Falls Road in Belfast and is also an author and organiser of the Four Corners' Festival.  He’s someone who is constantly crossing divides and brings much energy into behind the scenes conversations on issues of justice & peacemaking.

Here, he shares how his journeys to school in north Belfast exposed him to the fraught reality of Troubles’ life.  He also talks candidly about the cost of raising his voice on contentious issues such as policing and issues a heartfelt plea to churches here to end ‘religious wars’.

*Show notes*

/Edgar Graham - an Ulster Unionist politician and academic who was shot dead by the IRA at Queens’ University in December 1983. He was 29.

/Commemoration event to remember the five people murdered at Sean Graham bookmakers in 1992 - A survivor of the loyalist paramilitary shooting was arrested as part of a police operation at the anniversary vigil in February 2021.  This was after officers challenged family members over coronavirus regulations.  The Chief Constable apologised to families.

/Courage Pentecost - an initiative that emerged out of a diverse group of Christians seeking ways to be courageous together in the face of sectarianism and paramilitary violence.