Civil rights were on the mind of Jon McCourt when he joined the Irish Republican Army (IRA) in 1969, but he parted ways with the organization in the mid-1970s to become a community peace activist. In the four decades since he has worked with victims of violence, community relations, and youth in criminalized areas.
In recent summers, he has taken WSU Honors College students in Matt Carroll’s faculty-led study abroad class on a walking tour of his Derry/Londonderry, Northern Ireland, hometown. His a first-hand “I was there” perspective into Bloody Sunday (Jan. 30, 1972) and other political, cultural, and social aspects of The Troubles brings history to life.
McCourt is visiting WSU and will give two presentations on the Pullman campus, both of which are free and open to the public:
“Bloody Sunday and Beyond: The Troubles in Northern Ireland”
7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 28
CUB Auditorium
Hosted by the WSU Honors College
And
“From Bullets to the Peace Process: The Transformation of the IRA”
Noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 28
308 Bryan Hall
Hosted by the Foley Institute for Public Policy and Public Service as part of its “Coffee and Politics” discussion series
McCourt’s WSU visit is co-sponsored by the WSU Honors College, the Foley Institute, and the Office of Undergraduate Education.
