Teenagers aid Irish peace process

Aberfan was crushed by a coal slide in 1966

A group of teenagers from a south Wales Valleys town hit by tragedy in 1966 are helping to build bridges between people living in the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland.

The Aberfan and Merthyr Vale youth community project have been invited to spend a week in Lei trim - on the Northern Ireland border.

All three of our communities have been hit by tragedy - we had the terrible Aberrant disaster in 1966 and they have had to deal with so much.

Jeff Edwards, Aberrant project

The party of seven, who fly out on Sunday, will be joined by teenagers from nearby Ennis Killen and Leitrim in an attempt to create an understanding between the two groups.

The community of Aberfan was devastated in 1966 when a collapsing coal waste tip swept over a school and houses, killing 116 children and 28 adults.

In 1987 Enniskillen was shocked by a bomb blast which killed 11 people and wounded 63.

Jeff Edwards, chairman of the Aberfan project said the scheme is a way of sharing cultural differences and bringing people together.

"Even though Enniskillen and Leitrim are only about seven miles apart, there is a much bigger divide because of the troubles," he said.

"All three of our communities have been hit by tragedy - we had the terrible Aberfan disaster in 1966 and they have had to deal with so much.

Young people from Enniskillen will take part

"This trip is a way of helping the children to exchange cultural differences and to make friends.

"It is about bringing young people together to try and change attitudes," he said.

During the trip, the teenagers will be invited to take part in a series of workshops and will go on visits across the region.

"We had originally planned to take 15 youngsters from our project," said Mr Edwards.

"But, because the half term in Ireland falls a week later than ours, some of our group had to drop out so they wouldn't miss out on any schooling.

"This is something that the teenagers here have been looking forward to for ages.

"I am sure it is going to benefit everyone who goes because it will give an insight into other cultures and will hopefully broaden horizons for all the youngsters," he said.

During their week long stay, the Welsh group will take part in a Halloween festival in an attempt to unite the three communities.