Leading Ladies gather to hear real life stories

There was a big turnout for the latest council-run ‘Leading Ladies’ event, which took place recently at the Templeton Hotel in Templepatrick.
Pictured (l-r) at the Leading Ladies event are Councillor Noreen McClelland, Mary Kelly, Kathy Wolff (both contributors to the book 'To Tell You The Truth'), Catherine McColgan, Facilitator, Towards Understanding and Healing and Councillor Roisin Lynch, Vice-Chair of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Councils Community Planning and Regeneration Committee. INNT 41-504CONPictured (l-r) at the Leading Ladies event are Councillor Noreen McClelland, Mary Kelly, Kathy Wolff (both contributors to the book 'To Tell You The Truth'), Catherine McColgan, Facilitator, Towards Understanding and Healing and Councillor Roisin Lynch, Vice-Chair of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Councils Community Planning and Regeneration Committee. INNT 41-504CON
Pictured (l-r) at the Leading Ladies event are Councillor Noreen McClelland, Mary Kelly, Kathy Wolff (both contributors to the book 'To Tell You The Truth'), Catherine McColgan, Facilitator, Towards Understanding and Healing and Councillor Roisin Lynch, Vice-Chair of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Councils Community Planning and Regeneration Committee. INNT 41-504CON

Organised by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, the evening saw ladies of all ages and backgrounds gather to hear readings from the book ‘To Tell You The Truth.’

The readings were given by Mary Kelly and Kathy Wolff, who both contributed to the publication.

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To Tell You The Truth recounts the stories of victims, their families, members of the security forces and in some cases the perpetrators, during the Troubles.

Mary Kelly told of her experience of losing her brother and how it impacted her family. She spoke about her involvement with Bishop Desmond Tutu through a restorative justice programme which involved her meeting her brother’s killer.

Local Community Relations Forum worker Kathy Wolff shared how the conflict had affected her family and explained how her experiences had steered her in the direction of her current community development role in Glengormley.

Speaking after the event, Councillor Roisin Lynch, Vice-Chair of the council’s Community Planning and Regeneration Committee said: “I was delighted with the level of interest in our Leading Ladies event held during Community Relations and Cultural Awareness Week. We were challenged in our thinking, attitudes and behaviours. I was particularly struck by both speakers’ attitudes about not staying bitter and needing to move on. This is a challenge for us all to think about.”