Peace Meets the Streets

Book excerpt: A story of the grassroots economic work to support peace and reconciliation in Ireland. Peace Meets the Streets chronicles the highlights of the work of author Jim Lyons in Ireland and Northern Ireland from 1993 to 2001. During this critical period in Irish history, he first served as President Clintons US Observer to the International Fund for Ireland. Lyons was later appointed by the President to a second role as Special Advisor to the President and Secretary of State for Economic Initiatives in Northern Ireland and the border counties of the Republic of Ireland. From his unique role and personal experiences, Lyons explains his work in the gritty, sectarian neighborhoods of Belfast and Derry and in the rural towns and villages of the twelve counties. Peace Meets the Streets revolves around the people and leaders in those neighborhoods, cities, and townsboth Catholic and Protestant. He tells of the painstaking effort to build trust in both communities and the key players with whom he worked, trusted, and came to befriend. President and First Lady Hillary Clinton are central characters in Lyons narrative as well as leading business and public figures; high public officials from London, Washington, and Dublin; community organizers and local politicians; Nobel Peace laureates; a convicted murderer; and the grieving mother of a lost child. Peace Meets the Streets provides insight into this key period of Irish history and offers an insiders look at the successful efforts of the Clinton administration to help restore this troubled democracy.