Our lost generation ... the people who left NI and never moved back
In the year ending in mid-2015, some 21,500 people left Northern Ireland for pastures new, roughly half of them to other regions of the UK. Many inevitably were young people. So what persuades our brightest talent to leave home and never come back? Lauren
‘It was really refreshing to live somewhere the Troubles was not an issue’
Nicki Shroeder (48) is married to Neil and they have three children Adam (17), Emily (16) and Edward (7). She says:
Iam originally from Banbridge, and left Northern Ireland in 1987 to study law at Cambridge University. It was there that I met my husbandto-be and we were married the year after I graduated.
The wedding took place in my home town but then we went back to live in London.
The Troubles were still going in Northern Ireland at that time and it was quite refreshing to live somewhere where that was not an issue.
When I had gone to university it was interesting to hear people talking about other things rather than violence or sectarianism. There were a whole range of other political topics which were more relevant to their lives. I was mixing with people from all over the world who had come to Cambridge for their education and that was certainly different from what I was used to home. As well there were more job opportunities in England, parI ticularly London. Initially I worked in private practice doing media related law for about 14 years and then I took a 10-year break to bring up the children.
I came back into the workforce about three years ago working for the News Media Association and then moved to ITV about two and a half years ago.
I am currently head of business affairs for daytime television, which involves programmes like Good Morning Britain, Loose Women and Lorraine as well as factual programmes.
do get to meet some of the personalities which people right around the UK can relate to and tune in to watch every day.
It is a great career and no two days are the same.
I do come back to Northern Ireland a couple of times a year to visit my mother, brother and sister who all live in Scarva and they come over to see us as often as they can.
I have never thought that I would come back and live in Northern Ireland. It is the whole package which keeps me in London — career and family. My children were all born here and have put down their roots and have their friends here.
I have actually lived here longer than I did in Northern Ireland. I realise that there has been a sea-change in life in Northern Ireland. I have a nephew who was born after the signing of the Good Friday Agreement and I am conscious of the fact that he will have a very different upbringing and childhood to the one that I had.
I have been conscious of the recent election in Northern Ireland and the rows that have surrounded Arlene Foster, but I must admit that my eldest son follows political developments in the province more closely than I do.
However, if I am asked, I say that I am from Northern Ireland. I don’t consider myself as English.
When I return to Northern Ireland people say that I have a very strong English accent, yet over in London I am said to have a Northern Irish accent. I live in a sort of a twilight zone.
Maybe one day we will think of retiring to Northern Ireland but we enjoy life in London. We have never thought of moving out of the city to other parts of England and we see ourselves living here for the next 20 odd years at least.
It is a fantastic city with lots to do and see and everything is on your doorstep, which is lovely.”
Julie Ann Trainor (30) from Killeavy, Co Armagh, is a freelance journalist in London. She says:
When I was younger, I spent a week in London with my cousin and fell in love with the city. I studied journalism with English at the University of Ulster in Coleraine. While there, and after graduating, I wrote a weekly, gossip-style column for my local newspaper, the Newry Democrat.
After graduating, I worked full-time at Ulster Bank, but never gave up my hopes of a career in media. My second cousin, who incidentally now works for the Belfast Telegraph, got me a week’s work experience with the Daily Mirror in London about five years ago, and that was my introduction to how the media operates there.
I was then offered a few weeks’ work experience at a magazine, which led to paid commissions, including freelancing for OK magazine, The Star magazine, New magazine, Mail Online and The Sun’s website.
My speciality is showbusiness news, and that really is my dream job. It is a tremendous area to work in, but obviously very competitive as many people want to move in those circles, so it is quite hard work. I have been able to attend red carpet events, film premieres, showbusiness parties and product launches, as well as conducting interviews with celebrities like Katie Price, James Arthur, Little Mix and boxers Anthony Joshua and David Haye.
One thing you don’t need to be in this job is shy, but I have never met anyone who was rude to me. Perhaps my Irish accent helps.
I came to London because I thought it was the best place to get opportunities for a career in media. It has a better lifestyle than back home. There’s much more to do, especially the nightlife and being able to shop around the clock. It’s so cosmopolitan and vibrant, with many accents audible on the streets.
Amazingly, a message from my sister, Lorna, who is currently travelling in Argentina, alerted me to this week’s terrorist attack in London. She was sending me messages asking if I was safe and then I found out what had happened when I went online.
It was really quite scary, but you cannot live your life in fear. Life in the city went back to normal very quickly with transport running regularly that evening, and by the next day things seemed to be back to normal for most people.
I still come home to Newry every few weeks to see my mum and dad, and I have a brother who is studying overseas. I also do my best try to keep up with local news. The death of Martin McGuinness made the front page in London newspapers, and social media makes it easy to find out what is going on back home.
Would I come home again? I never say never as life in London media is so unpredictable. However, at the moment, I love it. It is definitely a young person’s city.