Mairead Corrigan Irish peace activist Date of Birth: 27.01.1944 Country: Ireland

1. Early Life and Career
2. Activism and Community Involvement
3. A Turning Point: The Tragedy of the Corrigan Nephews
4. Founding the Community of Peace People
5. The CPP and International Recognition
6. Awards and Accolades

Early Life and Career

Mairead Corrigan was born into a Catholic family in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Despite receiving a Catholic education, она pursued a career as a secretary and eventually became the personal secretary to the managing director of Guinness Brewery in Belfast.

Activism and Community Involvement

Alongside her professional life, Corrigan volunteered with Catholic charities. She actively discouraged Irish Catholic youth from engaging in violence against British soldiers deployed to Northern Ireland. In 1973, she traveled to the Soviet Union to contribute to a film on religion in communist society.

A Turning Point: The Tragedy of the Corrigan Nephews

In 1972, a tragic accident involving British soldiers and an IRA gunman resulted in the deaths of three of Corrigan's nephews. The senseless loss of innocent lives sparked outrage and a wave of protests against the violence plaguing Northern Ireland.

Founding the Community of Peace People

Appalled by the senseless violence, Corrigan made a televised appeal condemning the IRA's actions. Together with homemaker Betty Williams, she organized a peaceful protest march in Belfast, uniting both Protestants and Catholics against violence. The success of this first march led to the formation of the Community of Peace People (CPP) in 1976, with Corrigan as a co-founder.

The CPP and International Recognition

The CPP organized mass peace demonstrations in the United Kingdom and Ireland, summer work camps in Europe to bridge the divide between Catholic and Protestant youth, and various other human rights campaigns. Corrigan's advocacy for peace and justice through nonviolence earned her international recognition. She traveled to over 25 countries, including Latin America and Thailand.

Awards and Accolades

Corrigan has received numerous awards for her work, including the Nobel Peace Prize in 1976, shared with Betty Williams. She holds honorary degrees from several American colleges and universities, including an honorary Doctor of Laws from Yale University. She was also awarded the Karl von Ossietzky Medal for "courage" by the Berlin section of the International League for Human Rights.