Abstract

This qualitative phenomenological study utilized interviews and focus groups to discern the impact of The Ulster Project, specifically Ulster Project Delaware, U.S.A (UPD). Ulster Project Delaware was formed as a response to sectarian violence in Northern Ireland. Established to increase good will and religious tolerance between Catholic and Protestant Northern Irish, UPD includes adolescents from the towns of Banbridge, Coleraine, and Portadown, Northern Ireland. A discussion of the history of this sectarian violence, also known as “The Troubles,” contextualizes the study, as does an overview of the origin of Ulster Project International (UPI) and UPD. The founder of UPI hypothesized that participation in the Ulster Project would assist and facilitate increased religious, social, and political tolerance for differing religions and cultures, as well as foster increased good will between Protestants and Catholics. To decrease negative stereotyping of those whose faith and cultures differ and subsequently decrease sectarian violence, UPD participants (i.e., Northern Irish and American adolescents) engaged in integrated activities and intense retreats. The short- and long-term impact and efficacy of UPD from Northern Irish participants’ perspectives are shared.