Thread by @DrAaronEdwards

What kind of future did Sir James Craig & other #Unionist leaders envisage for the people of #NorthernIreland? As I walked the ground of my old homestead #Rathcoole I was shocked to see how the perfect storm of deprivation, disaffection & despair has broken over the estate 1/10

Sir Basil Brooke, one of Craig’s successors, believed his government should build “homes fit for heroes” after the Second World War. Built in the 1950s, Rathcoole was to be a model village for his brand of Unionism’s vision of a “peaceful & prosperous Ulster” 2/10

Once an estate where Protestants & Catholics lived side-by-side, neighbours turned on neighbours in the 1970s, leading to the Rathcoole Defence Association intimidating many Catholics out of their homes. Tit-for-tat intimidation soon spread like wildfire across Belfast & NI 3/10

In #Rathcoole, fear stalked the streets for the law-abiding people left behind. They hunkered down. By 1991 the @nihecommunity reported an estate in “rapid decline”, as working class people struggled to survive. Unionist politicians did little to break the cycle of despair 4/10

The Rathcoole Self-Help Group, including Roy Wallace, Mark Langhammer, @DougieJamison & others, fought to unlock government resources & assist people in need. They offered hope, though Tory cuts dealt a body blow to the estate, long crippled by Unionist statebuilding failure 5/10

Inniscarn Drive in #Rathcoole, where I lived in the early 1980s, remains 103/890 of the Most Deprived areas in NI, ranking in the Top 100 Most Deprived for Employment, Education, Skills & Training. This is where the James Craig mural is located 6/10

People in the estate now feel that their voices are not being heard. That their community is being hollowed out & that e.g. the replacement of multi-story flats for less social housing is destroying their community spirit. Meanwhile their politicians seem powerless to act 7/10

The @duponline, which should be representing the people in Stormont & @sinnfeinireland at Westminster, are refusing to take their seats, for one reason or another. Local councillors are powerful enough only to make decisions on the likes of emptying bins & burying the dead 8/10

Morale is low & is reflected in political apathy at the ballot box. Macedon DEA, which encompasses #Rathcoole, registered a turnout of only 49% in the #LE23. Meanwhile, there is a growing feeling of disconnection between politicians & the people. This is a serious situation 9/10

Without hope, people turn inwards. It’s a problem right across #NorthernIreland, though particularly in Unionist areas. Something needs to be done & fast. I explore these issues in my new book #APeopleUnderSiege, which you can order from @AmazonUK amzn.eu/d/7lpcT1W 10/10