THE NURSE — ‘I can understand the civil rights movement but not the violence’

Liz started nursing in the Royal in 1975. “By the time I started, the big, big bombs were trailing off a little bit — it wasn’t just as awful.” But her duties still could be harrowing, especially when she worked in casualty.

“I remember (an incident) when the doors flung open and there was two soldiers. Both had been shot in the head. One died in the main room. I remember hushed tones that he was gone. I still feel emotional about it — even today. The other fella, I remember standing packing the gunshot wound with gauze, packing the side of his head that was messy. At the time it was okay, you just got on with it. His hand brushed against mine when we were moving him from the trolley, and he had a wedding ring on and I remember thinking: ‘His wife has no idea where he is at the minute. She has no idea what’s happening to him.’ That actually felt like a privilege that I was there to try and do my wee bit to help. Then I went up with him to theatre and he died there.”

Liz felt “ashamed” that British soldiers were required to guard the Royal. “I remember walking past them and feeling ashamed of us — of Northern Ireland people — that were taking these lives.”

She worked with nurses of all backgrounds. They didn’t talk about politics, or even about what they were experiencing.

“There was no talk about Catholic/Protestant/IRA. It was an unwritten policy that you just got on with it. There was no talk of us getting counselling for the things we saw or did. It was the nature of the work — you were busy and then the next day came and there was something else to do, so you didn’t spend a long time reflecting on things.”

Her faith helped. “It was a case of walking your Christian path and living your Christian life. I’ve found the Lord a great source of comfort. Not that there was a whole lot of answers to questions, but just to know He was in control. My Christianity was a great help to me for dayto-day living. I don’t know how girls that wouldn’t have been Christians got through it.”

Liz has no sympathy for the IRA, but she has studied Irish history and gained a greater understanding of “British imperialism, and how they lorded it over the Irish people”. She said Ulster Protestants had treated Catholics unfairly, adding: “I can understand the civil rights movement, but not the violence. With self-examination comes an understanding that you’re not always right and maybe there’s somebody else can have an element of truth on their side too.

“Now, from a Christian point of view, I can see how our kingdom isn’t Protestant or Catholic, Britain or Ireland.

“Our kingdom is God’s kingdom. So, if it was a united Ireland and the Gospel was free to move around, that would be okay.”