Peace People

synonyms: Community of the Peace People; Northern Ireland Peace People The organisation was established in 1976 following the death of three young children. A car, which contained members of an Irish Republican Army (IRA) unit, was shot at by members of the British Army and the car mounted the pavement killing the three Maguire children. There was a large outcry among people in Northern Ireland who joined marches for peace. Out of this initial reaction the Peace People was born. The three founders of the organisation were Mairead Corrigan (now Mairead Corrigan-Maguire), Betty Williams and Ciaran McKeown. The Peace People advocated non-violence as the best means to resolve conflict. The organisation is involved in youth, welfare, and justice work. In 1976 two of the founder members Mairead Corrigan and Betty Williams were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The organisation received substantial aid from Norway, Germany, and the United States of America.