No stopping this song

Just when I thought this schtick about building community was on its last legs, along comes the news that the Yes camp in the Scottish referendum is being boosted by grassroots campaigners, social justice advocates and community activists who believe an independent Scotland will be a fairer society than one ruled by Mr Cameron’s Eton toffs. Word is they may tip the balance.

Scottish independence being a matter for our Celtic cousins alone, I express no opinion and have no advice to proffer on how those fiercely proud neighbours should vote, but I’m buoyed by the fact that an alternative to the winner takes all culture is blossoming.

I witnessed that same commitment to community repeatedly this week, not least at a dockside café church service on Sunday last where, as the sun went down behind Black Mountain, we were serenaded with a hymn containing these beautiful lines

Let me be singing
when the evening comes

I am no closer to being a believer now than when I first started working with the faith communities of Belfast but my admiration for the work they do to defend those who have little of worldly means continues to inspire me.

That’s why I am buoyed by the news that Belfast will send four of Lord Mayor Nichola Mallon’s chaplains to Boston next month – representing the Presbyterian, Church of Ireland, Hindu and Muslim communities of Belfast. They will work with the remarkable ministers and faith leaders who are standing shoulder to shoulder with the indomitable mayor of Boston Marty Walsh to build a fair and prosperous Boston.

And we will get an opportunity to lay the foundations for that sister city exchange when Mayor Walsh and his team visit Belfast from 25-26 September to lead theHomecoming and Belfast One City Conference. Before that, we will have the State Senate President of Massachusetts Therese Murray in town — fresh from receiving the Tip O’Neill Award in Donegal from President Michael D Higgins — to launch the conference.

All roads are leading to Belfast — and they are all high roads.

Of course, there are often roadblocks — l learnt this week that the controversial Berridge Masterplan for Belfast which excludes the Centre West of our city core, the area which is most underserved, suggests five locations for a new civic art gallery. Guess which part of the city centre isn’t among those five. Dan O’Neill and Gerard Dillon look away now.

But roadblocks will be negotiated. Nothing will stop the rise of Belfast.

After all, this is a city which brought those old adversaries Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness together to forge the peace. And it is as a peacemaker that I believe Ian Paisley will be remembered, a persona the insightful English artist Conrad Atkinson caught with his memorable ‘New Northern Ireland Wallpaper’. Grásta ó Dhia ar an fhear mhór.