TRAVELS IN TIME 4 : Troubled Teens

Adults have fond memories of the books they encountered on their journey as readers. In this series Antony Quinton continues a journey along the bookshelves of his past. Books borrowed from local libraries that made an impact on him growing up.

Children have an insatiable curiosity for the world around them. In the 1970s and 1980s, my curiosity was fed by experiences in the real world, from television and as an early reader from books.

For some reason I’ve always been fascinated by television news. I lived in a house at the bottom of the ordinary street with a furniture factory at the top, opposite a shop in High Wycombe. My first memories of a world outside this location came from school, books and BBC News. I watched both the adult version and John Craven’s Newsround which was a condensed version of the news aimed at children. 

My earliest world news memories include footage of the siege of the Iranian embassy, multi-coloured drinks at the 1979 election and the first Space Shuttle launch.

As I grew up, my interest in the news was unwavering. One of the continuing news stories of the Eighties that deeply affected me was the conflict between the communities in Northern Ireland. The pictures on the news looked like towns and villages near me except there were soldiers, tanks, murals, violence, bombs exploding and people dying.

Why couldn’t the two sides think of the innocents caught in the middle? As a teenager, I wondered how my counterparts actually growing up in that nightmare coped with checkpoints, segregated schools, marches, men in balaclavas and bombs. I despaired of peace ever happening in Northern Ireland.

Then I read Joan Lingard’s tale of two teenagers on opposite sides of the religious and political divide in Belfast. Across the Barricades helped give my valuable insights into ‘the Troubles’ that I saw regularly on the news. Her writing helped me see past the atrocities and gave me a glimpse into the ordinary lives of young people living in a war they didn’t choose.

Across the Barricades is the second in a series of five books that tell Kevin McCoy and Sadie Jackson. However, the events of the previous book The Twelfth Day of July, are described as they impact the behaviour not just of the main characters but also supporting characters amongst their family and friends.

Both teenagers have narrow expectations from their parents and communities. For Sadie she’s expected to marry young and look after a family and husband. Kevin is expected to join the cause and fight for a united Ireland. They are both wild at heart. Sadie is quick-witted and deliberately contrary. She doesn’t take fools gladly. Kevin is quick-tempered but charming, once he’s made a decision he sticks to it no matter what peer pressure he faces.

Joan Lingard uses accessible and evocative prose that brings you straight into the lives of her characters. The world she describes was very different from the rural village I grew up in. A city of nervous soldiers, red brick terraces, the shipyards, unpredictable violence, barbed wire and divided communities.

Scrap in the streets: burnt-out cars and buses and armoured vehicles, torn-up paving stones, barbed-wire coiled to form barricades. And along the streets went soldiers on patrol with fingers on the triggers of their guns, men and women eyeing them watchful, suspiciously, and bands of children and playing at fighting and sometimes not just playing. Sadie and Kevin were quiet. The subject was too difficult to talk about, too difficult for them.

Lingard doesn't shy away from the ugly side of human nature. There is the intractable position of Sadie's friend Linda who cannot look past Sadie's feelings about Kevin due to his Catholic background. Meanwhile Kevin is constantly questioned about his loyalty to his community; particularly by his friend, Brian who is prepared to channel hatred of Protestants and the occupying British army into violence. 

Kevin cannot accept violence as a means to achieve freedom. This is due to what happened to his sister, Brede in the previous book. This extract demonstrates how deep the misunderstandings and rivalries go even among friends.

'Don't you resent the power the priests have over you?'

‘They don't have that much power,' he muttered.

'Of course they do,' she insisted.

‘You know nothing about it' His voice had a hard edge.

Give over, a voice inside her was saying, but the stubbornness in her would not let it lie.

'And those statues and things. I don't know how you can bring yourself to pray to them.'

‘Aye, and what about your lot?' His temper was surging. Worshipping a silly old Dutchman dead these three hundred years.'

‘We don't worship him.’

'Ah, for God's sake!' He stood up. 'King Billy on his white horse. Long Live King Billy!’ Keep the Catholics down.’

"If there were more of you than there were of us you'd soon keep us down! Sadie's eyes blazed. Her father's words, cut into her mind.

"So you're afraid, that's what it is!' He laughed contemptuously, and at that moment she hated him.

The traditional roles of men and women is another topic explored in the book such as the jobs each are suitable for and the falsehoods that child-rearing is purely for women and if you don't fight you're less of a man are all  There are discussions between the characters that still have relevance today. Even though things have moved on, there are still places in the world where the rights of women are severely curtailed. 

One of the strengths of the book is that the reader is not just shown the young people's thoughts and story. You also read about the aspirations and experiences of the adults in their lives and friends. You see how nobody is unaffected by the uncertainty and violence of the Troubles. How innocent people get caught up in violence and it's not their fault.

For all the discussion of politics and religion, this is fundamentally a love story. Sadie and Kevin relationship grows over the time. Readers will want the teenagers to stay together despite the barriers. They carry on the relationship in secret at first which causes friction and anger from the older members of the family and community. Despite the hostility to their friendship they continue to meet, but there are repercussions for both of them.

'Then you won't see him?' Brede sat back.

'I'm not sure. Sadie lifted her head. 'I can't promise, Brede. I have to think about it.'

'Think carefully then.' Brede stood up. She straightened her back, with her hand at the side of her hip, the way her mother did when she was tired. 

'There's times there when it might be all right for a Catholic boy to be walking out with a Protestant girl, but now's not one of them. And in streets like these. There's enough blood, Sadie, without any more getting shed.’

The writer is so skilled at balancing horrifying events with humour, gentle descriptions of the landscapes of Northern Ireland, realistic dialogue and the warmth of supporting characters who have moved beyond traditional stereotypes. 

I really enjoyed revisiting this book written over fifty years ago when Northern Ireland was a frightening place to grow up. The characters are so true to life and the story of a relationship deepening despite the barricades put in its way is compelling. I also appreciated Joan Lingard's willingness to show just how cruel and destructive beliefs can make people behave. 

There is hope here too. Peacemakers like Mr Blake and Kevin's sister Brede and Sadie's brother Tommy, who try to do the best they can in a difficult situation. People who show in their actions that talking about what the communities have in common and aiming for peaceful coexistence is the best way forward.

I suspect a modern edition republished half a century after the original would require a trigger warning. There is derogatory language used, particularly against Catholics which is now seen as unacceptable. 

This is history, this is how people thought. It is a time capsule; an accurate representation of a country at war with itself. As long as teenagers are told about this and they are given a comparable text written by 21st century writer from Northern Ireland. 

Across the Barricades a good read and valuable experience for readers. You could also compare the experiences of the 1970s teenagers to those of Lisa McGee's 1990 teenagers in Derry Girls. Or for adults the realities of policing Northern Ireland today depicted in BBC drama, Blue Lines.

Across the Barricades written Joan Lingard.

First published: 1972 Hamish Hamilton.

Paperback edition published by Puffin Books in 1973.

Joan Lingard interview Part 1

Joan Lingard interview Part 2