NI sectarianism begins at age three, says study

Children as young as three are being exposed to sectarian divisions in Northern Ireland, a new report revealed today.

By the age of seven some are fighting with youngsters from across the religious divide, the study found.

Researchers from Queen’s University, Belfast discovered startling contrasts in experience of violence depending on which part of the city they are from.

Dr Paul Connolly said: “Some young children tend to live under the shadow of sectarian tensions and violence while others are able to go about their lives largely oblivious to what is going on.”

Dr Connolly and colleague Julie Healy from the Graduate School of Education carried out 276 in-depth interviews with Protestant and Catholics aged between three and 11 years in the survey, produced for Northern Ireland's Office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister.