Let's leave history in the past

(Claire Noble, Photo by Randa El Tahawy)




She refers to where she was born as the North and where she lives as the South like it was all one country.

What Claire Noble 23, means is that she was born in Northern Ireland part of the United Kingdom but now lives in the Republic of Ireland a separate state, and this did make a difference in how she was brought up.

“When we moved it was like a different country,” she says with her soft voice, “ I used to stand out because I was from the North.”

After her dad bought a nice farm while driving by in Galway, Ireland, Claire at that time 13 and her family moved from her hometown Fermanagh.

“I was excited but didn’t want to leave because I didn’t know anything about the country.”

She recalls how difficult it was for her to settle in a new country always feeling like she is standing out because of her origins.

“ People had so many stereotypes and used to ask me those stupid questions about the IRA (Irish Republican Army) and the religious origins of my surname, Noble.”

Getting used to the label

Despite hearing those stereotypes and living with them everyday, Claire doesn’t blame anyone, “ a lot of the people I knew never got out and didn’t really know what they were implying.”

She adds that it is normal to find people trying to put an identity label on other people.

“ Settling was hard but I also saw it as an adventure, there are always advantages from moving.”

As every teenager would normally do, Claire wanted to fit in and remembers how she was easily led and made unfortunate friendships.

“ I lost my strong Northern accent in two years and when I used to go back to the North my family would make fun of my new accent,” she says.

A move that shaped her personality

If there is one thing Claire learned from having to juggle between two cultures it would be questioning what is wrong and what is right.

She also discovered her passion for reporting on current affairs and realized that she wanted to be a journalist.

“When you go away you realize so many things about yourself,” she says.

With time, Claire is still learning about her herself and being a Master student in Journalism in London is surely helping her get a clearer picture.

“ I am proud to call myself Irish living in the South but holding on to Northern Ireland.”