Fergal has been involved in youth work fulltime since 1987 (professionally qualified since 1995) and has worked in areas such as Youth Information, Education Welfare, Community Relations, Volunteering, Peace and Reconciliation; Centre Based, Street, Participation, Rural and Urban based Youth Work; Family Support; consultation, evaluation and research; YOUTH/Youth in Action/Erasmus+; and Social Justice and Interface work.
He is a freelance trainer and facilitator and has worked for a variety of local, regional, national and international organisations including Momentum World, British Council, Ecorys, Leargas, Co-operation North/Ireland,
The Warrington Project, NUS/USI, The NI Youth Forum, Youth Council for NI, Derry City & Strabane District Council, Anna-Lindh Foundation, Viennese Association of Youth Clubs & ELT, South Bank University and Ulster University.
He has three grown-up children and two grandchildren. His passions are humour, music, Liverpool FC, reading, writing, travelling, debates, discussions. He has also published two books on poetry and one on the Northern Ireland Peace Process.
This paper explores the relationship between solidarity and its potential for healing divisions in Northern Ireland. It puts into context the challenges that the legacy of ‘The Troubles’ poses for reaching greater levels of solidarity which has often been generated by international youth work opportunities through Erasmus+.
Join us on the border of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. We’re here to talk to Férgal Barr, a trainer and facilitator, about solidarity as a path for healing polarized societies.
Drawing on the local history, Férgal talks about stretching ourselves, trips that never happened and the power of a shared cup of tea.
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