A STUDENT is seeking help from parents and their children to help with a unique research project at university.

Caoimhe McCrory is currently studying a Master’s degree at the University College in London. Born in Dublin with her family from Belfast, Caoimhe is preparing for her  thesis on the impact of the Troubles on two generations of people.

Her project focusses on the ’Peace Babies’ generation and their experiences being raised by parents who lived through The Troubles, as well as understanding the perspective of parents raising children of this generation.

Caoimhe says she wants to consider the psychology of these children now living in the post-conflict North.

"A lot of research has gone into the generation that lived through the Troubles but not much on the peace babies generation," she explained. "I want to see if they were affected in any way.

"I want to interview both the parents and their kids about their lives and experiences, looking at how they view their life story which is what psychologists call Narrative Identity. This refers to the way a person makes sense of who they are, how they became that person and how their experiences have shaped them over time. Research suggests that narrative identity is linked to psychological well-being and how a person copes with adversity.

"I’m particularly interested in families where experiences about the Troubles were rarely or never openly discussed.

"This perspective has led it’s way into parent and child relationships whereby some parents may feel they are protecting their children by avoiding discussions about the past. However, even in the absence of these discussions, conflict can still shape how people see themselves, their community and their relationships. 

"I want to explore how silence, emotion and unspoken memories are passed between generations, and how the Peace Babies generation makes sense of a past they did not directly experience especially when experiences of the Troubles were rarely discussed in the home.

"The format will be an interview process, one with the parent and one with the child. I need people from both Catholic and Protestant backgrounds. The parents have to consent too. It can’t be a young person and not the parent or vice-versa. 

"I am looking kids born after 1998 and ideally 18-25 years old."

Requirements for participation:

  • Parents and their children (aged 17–25 years) in families where parents rarely discussed their personal experiences and memories of living through the Troubles with the child. Only one parent (mum or dad) per family will be required for the interview. 
  • Parent criteria: Must be the child’s biological parent and born and raised in Northern Ireland during the Troubles (1968–1998).
  • Child criteria: Must be aged 17–25 years and born and raised in Northern Ireland.
  • In addition, individuals (either parent or child) with a current diagnosis of PTSD, severe depression, severe anxiety, or other serious mental health conditions are excluded from participation in this study (given that certain topics may be distressing). 
  • Study: There will be one interview for the parent, and one interview for the child, each lasting approximately 60 minutes. They will focus on life narrative, family stories, reflections of growing up in Northern Ireland (including topics related to the Troubles).

If you believe you can help Caoimhe, please contact her by email on ctmccrory@hotmail.com.