Festival Of Ideas - The Old School Tie

Nick and Cath went to the same school in Belfast; Nick at the beginning of what was to be called the 'Troubles'; Cath, over the period that saw the gradual reduction in hostilities and the 1998 Good Friday agreement. We were two people caught in a storm, each finding ways through our teenage years, each coming to terms with the strange power of religious affiliation in a divided city. The Irish Sea can be rough, its waves hastening us home or warning us of dangers to come.

Speaker: Cath Heinemeyer is a storyteller, musician, and a researcher and senior lecturer in performance at York St John University. Born and raised in Belfast, she is now thoroughly rooted in York, where she coordinates the York St John Living Lab, performs as part of Adderstone and The Barberellas, investigates how storytelling can help us face the climate crisis, and drinks a great deal of tea.

Nick Rowe went to boarding school in Belfast in 1965. He is an Emeritus Professor at York St John University and was the founder of Converge, a project offering educational opportunities to people who use mental health services. He is a performing member of Playback Theatre York.