From Monaghan to New York State
A full-circle journey to the home of Project Children
Image 1 of 2
On site at Greenwood Lake, New York State, where a segment of the documentary How to Defuse a Bomb: The Project Children Story was filmed in 1975, were Catherine Flood, originally from Carrickroe, Co Monaghan, and a Project Children volunteer; Joanne Tierney, on vacation from Limerick; Tommy Howley, Mayor of Greenwood Lake; Veronica Corr of the Anglo-Celt; Denis Mulcahy, Project Children co-founder, originally from Rockchapel, Co. Cork; and Linda Croston, originally from Cork and a Project Children volunteer.Image 2 of 2
Pictured prior to the erection of the Mulcahy Way sign, with a mock-up in place were: Eva Clarke, Project Children Intern from Castleblayney; Sam Gormley, Greenwood Lake formerly Tyrone; Brendan Morgan, Warwick outside Greenwood Lake formerly Newry (both Habitat for Humanity x Project Children Programme); Denis Mulcahy, Project Children Co-founder Greenwood Lake and formerly Rockchapel, Cork, his wife Miriam Mulcahy Greenwood Lake formerly Ballinamore, Co Leitrim, their granddaughter Shauna Morgan Greenwood Lake and her mother Maureen Mulcahy (Denis and Miriam’s daughter)A couple of years ago, Monaghan County Council and Project Children announced a cultural partnership to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the groundbreaking programme that saw thousands of children from across Northern Ireland travel to America for six-week holidays away from the Troubles. Beginning in 1975, it continued until the Good Friday Agreement.
While reporting on preparations for the move of the Project Children exhibition and archive to Monaghan Peace Campus last year, this reporter formed friendships with the programme's co-founder Denis Mulcahy and his right-hand women, Catherine Flood and Linda Croston of Croston Flood, who volunteer their time and expertise to the charity.
At the Project Children Gala evening in Monaghan last October, Catherine said: "You have to come to us the next time!"
This year, along with my friend Joanne, I finally decided to make the trip to New York, a destination that had been on both of our bucket lists for years. On August 5, Catherine met us in Yonkers, while Linda drove us to Greenwood Lake, New York State, where Project Children first began.
Denis, who hails from Rockchapel in Co Cork, proved to be a wonderful host. After lunch, he brought us on a cruise around Greenwood Lake on his speedboat and to the location where the documentary was filmed in 1975. As soon as his SUV pulled up beside the beach, I recognised it instantly. Greenwood Lake Mayor Tommy Howley welcomed us there, enhancing a memorable afternoon in the middle of our holiday.
There is always something happening in Denis Mulcahy's world. During the week of our visit, Greenwood Lake was preparing to honour him and his family with the dedication of Mulcahy Way, a street named in recognition of their decades-long contribution to the community and the international success story that is Project Children.
Although Joanne and I visited three days before the official ceremony, it was clear how highly Denis and his family are regarded in the village they have called home for more than 60 years.
For me, the visit brought years of reporting on Project Children into sharper focus. Having written so much about the programme, standing in the very place where so much of its history unfolded gave me a perspective that research alone could not provide.
Deeply moved by the images of violence and division he saw on the news from Ireland, Denis co-founded Project Children with his brother Pat and supporters in Greenwood Lake. Beginning with six children in 1975, the programme eventually welcomed more than 23,000 young people from across Northern Ireland, offering them a temporary escape from conflict and the opportunity to build friendships across community divides.
Often described as "the peace process before there was a peace process", Project Children paired Catholic and Protestant children who, in many cases, would never otherwise have met. By spending a summer together in the United States, many participants formed friendships that have lasted for decades.
The programme's story was captured in the acclaimed documentary How to Defuse a Bomb: The Project Children Story. The title is a reference to Denis's career as a bomb disposal expert with the New York Police Department's Bomb Squad. Narrated by Liam Neeson and featuring contributions from figures including former US President Bill Clinton, the film tells the story of how Project Children grew from a small initiative in Greenwood Lake into a programme that welcomed thousands of children from Northern Ireland.
Greenwood Lake, which straddles the border between New York and New Jersey, is a picturesque place surrounded by mountains and a forest as far as the eye can see. It was easy to understand why generations of Project Children participants found it such a special destination. For those arriving from Northern Ireland during the darkest years of the Troubles, the contrast with life at home would have been striking.
October Programme
Denis and the Project Children team will return to Monaghan this October to mark the first anniversary of the Project Children exhibition and permanent archive at Monaghan Peace Campus. Former participants, host families and supporters will come together to celebrate a programme that continues to have an impact on both sides of the Atlantic.
A packed programme of events will bring together former participants, host families and supporters to celebrate the legacy of Project Children.
Highlights include a Community Day at the Peace Campus, screenings of How to Defuse a Bomb: The Project Children Story, a welcome gathering in Catherine Flood's native Carrickroe, performances of The Unfinished Broadside, exhibition tours, a US Welcome Dinner, and an NYPD Gaelic football challenge against local personalities in Clones.
For the full schedule of anniversary celebrations taking place across Monaghan from October 10-13, visit www.projectchildren.org