WELCOME TO PROJECT CHILDREN

Denis Mulcahy, Chairman of Project Children

Contact details for Project Children and our co-ordinators in the U.S.A. and Ireland

U.S. states participating in Project Children

Differences between Northern Ireland and the States, such as weather, money and the words we use

Advice on things to pack, not pack and what to do on your day of departure for the summer of a lifetime

An American friendship letter to Northern Irish parents

The story of children flying to Washington with American Eagle

A four week programme held in Washington D.C. for 13 college students from Northern Ireland

Construction trainees from Northern Ireland spent two months in America helping to build houses

American kids travel to Derry to play soccer with Northern Irish

Teaches kids about the theatre and each other

A sample of some of the children who have returned to the U.S. to continue their education

WELCOME TO
PROJECT CHILDREN

Project Children is an American-Northern Ireland partnership dedicated to showing Protestant and Catholic kids that they have nothing to fear from each other and much to gain. The programme started in 1975 with six children from Belfast, three from one community and three from the other. The kids spent that summer in America, getting to know each other in a small New York town. Now Project Children places more than 600 children from Northern Ireland with host families across America each summer. And several years ago we expanded to include university students by offering summer internships on Capitol Hill. A few months later, a new venture with Habitat for Humanity and local trade unions pulled in vocational students and gave them on-the-job experience building homes in America. Project Children also sponsors programmes in Northern Ireland that bring together Protestant and Catholic children and their families. Although we have expanded, our vision remains the same: to help build peace in Northern Ireland through its children and young people.

DENIS MULCAHY
PROJECT CHILDREN'S FIRST VOLUNTEER

Denis Mulcahy, the founder of Project Children, doesn't use the power of personality or the force of rhetoric to inspire others to join his cause. Denis Mulcahy leads by example. He takes no salary from Project Children and works long hours tending to the big plans and small details of running the organisation. Over the past twenty-five years he has quietly masterminded summer vacations in America for more than 14,000 children in Northern Ireland.

He has given those children-Protestants and Catholics-a much-needed break from the grim politics of their own country and an extraordinary chance to play together. He hasn't done it alone, and he will be the first to tell you. In fact, if you try to praise Denis, he will quickly start praising Project Children host families, area co-ordinators, fund-raising volunteers, and benefactors. Denis considers himself simply one of the many. But Denis is truly the heart and soul of Project Children. He started it in 1975, along with his brother Pat. They both had grown up in County Cork, Ireland, and emigrated to New York, where they joined the New York Police Department. Denis is still with the force; he's a bomb squad detective. Pat retired early because of injury and returned to County Cork.

In 1975, Northern Ireland was a boiling pot of political violence. Armed soldiers, rolling tanks, and surveillance cameras were everywhere, trying to keep the lid on. People were dying and children were growing up scared. Protestant and Catholic families were insulating themselves against each other-fleeing integrated neighbourhoods in search of segregated enclaves. Denis and Pat were heartsick. They decided to do something to help the children. That summer they brought six kids from Northern Ireland-three Protestants and three Catholics-to Greenwood Lake, New York, where they lived. The idea was twofold. Most importantly they wanted to get the kids away from the violence and the paramilitaries who work double time recruiting kids during school breaks. Denis and Pat also wanted to show the Protestant and Catholic kids that they could live together and actually like each other.

Denis Mulcahy with James Ruoff, U.S. Customs, welcoming the children of Northern Ireland at J.F.K. Airport in New York.

Each summer two Aer Lingus jets touch down in the United States packed with over 600 excited kids ready for six weeks of fun in the sun. Six weeks away from the "Troubles" back home.