Tar Isteach Youth Group
Tierna Cunningham,Tar Isteach Youth Worker, sixth from right, and her group outside the Hillman Street office, at the launch of their Rosa Parks mural tribute. The group are deeply involved in the community life of the New Lodge area.
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Tar Isteach Youth Dec 07 residential and team building programme, North Antrim
On 28th October 2006, several republican ex-prisoners' children were among a group who visited the site of Armagh women's jail. The jail closed in 1986 but during the conflict had housed many women republican prisoners. 
The tour was facilitated by Armagh City and District Council and was led by two former women prisoners, Jennifer McCann and Pauline Quinn.
Both women spoke of their time there and recounted the conditions under which the women were held and the various situations which had arisen throughout the years. These included an escape attempt, the no-wash protest, the hunger strike of 1980 and strip-searching.
There was a touch a touch of nostalgia as Jennifer showed Fionnuala Stanton the cell in which her mother, Kathy, gave birth to her older sister, also called Kathy, when she was imprisoned there in 1985. Jennifer and Pauline also recalled the many women who had passed through Armagh but have since passed away.
Dominic Adams
Once again the members of Tar Isteach Youth helped organise, plan and volunteer for the August 2007 Annual Funday and Carnival Parade
New Lodge youth group win Presidential award
TOMORROW’S LEADERS: Young people from Tar Isteach all smiles ahead of a prestigious award
BY EVAN SHORT
NEW Lodge youth group Tar Isteach were celebrating this week when it was announced they are to receive an award from President Mary McAleese. The award is to acknowledge the positive role the group has carried out in the promotion of the Greater New Lodge community and will be presented to a member of the group In Dublin.
The Tar Isteach Youth Group is part of the New Lodge Ex-Prisoners’ Association and is made up mostly, but not entirely of the children and grandchildren of republican ex-prisoners. The award is being presented In association with The Young Citizenship Awards which are organised as part of the wider European Year of Citizenship. The children involved in the group have taken part in local political, social, cultural and environmental initiatives and have been at the forefront of peace-building ventures, as well as partnering ethnic minority organisations in creating a diverse society in which all young people can thrive.
Ciara Stanton from the group will collect the award from President McAleese at áras an Uachtaráin on March 14. Youth Worker Tierna Cunningham paid tribute to the children who have made the group such a success.
“The young people who make up Tar Isteach Youth have not only contributed to each other’s development but they have also contributed to the development of their own community. They are great ambassadors for their families, for Tar Isteach and the Greater New Lodge in general. I believe we have some of tomorrow’s leaders within this group. I sincerely hope that Tar Isteach can continue to be the vehicle through which these young people can fulfil their unlimited potential.”
