'Our homes are two minutes from each other but a peace wall makes it 20 minutes'

'Our homes are two minutes from each other but a peace wall makes it 20 minutes'27 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleMark SimpsonCommunity correspondent, BBC News NIBBCLily and Michelle have becomes friends If there was not a peace wall between Lily Brannon and Michelle Bradley's homes the friends would be a mere two minute walk away from each other. But a huge brick wall on the Springfield/Springmartin Road in Belfast effectively stops them being neighbours and makes that a 20 to 30 minute walk.So-called peace lines separate some nationalist Catholic and unionist Protestant areas of the city.Lily, 73, is a Protestant and Michelle, 46, is a Catholic, and the two have had to overcome a psychological as well as a physical barrier to form their friendship.They were brought together by a cross-community scheme in west Belfast.The project takes place at the Black Mountain Shared Space building and is funded by the International Fund for Ireland's peace barriers programme.Michelle says that when they first met there was some "reservedness".Lily called it "suspicion".It did not last long. They have formed a close bond and have become good friends."She's just a great wee girl," says Lily, and briefly holds Michelle's hand."If we need anything done, Michelle will sort it out for us."Lily was born before the start of the Troubles, the 30 years of violence which ended with the 1998 peace agreement, while Michelle was born as violence raged in the 1980s.Looking back, she said: "There was a bit of fear in me, but it was more the fear of the unknown - not a hatred."We were never taught to hate anybody, but there was a real fear."I think the fear was you thought they hated you before you met them."The International Fund for Ireland (IFI), which funds the cross-community work, is currently celebrating its 40th anniversary.The fund was established as an independent organisation by t...