When it comes to reconciliation, there’s definitely, maybe something we can all learn from the Gallagher brothers.
The kings of grudges, Oasis’ Liam and Noel, have famously been at war for 15 long years, and their relationship was fraught for years before that.
Their ongoing beef was at times more entertaining than their music, with both exchanging vicious and public personal insults and there being talk of brawls between the brothers in private.
However, peace has been declared and an Oasis reunion has been announced that some might say could help us here in Northern Ireland also truly embrace reconciliation.
Much like the paramilitary ceasefires and the peace that followed, no-one ever thought this day would come, but the Gallagher brothers are teaching us all a lesson in healing, forgiveness and learning to roll with it.
Like us here in Northern Ireland 26 years after the Good Friday Agreement, the Gallagher peace might still be a little fragile, and there will be bumps and blips along the way, but there is hope there.
Indeed everyone is hoping that come next year, when concerts are planned across the UK and Ireland, none of us who bought tickets are left disappointed or looking back in anger at why we were actually so silly to believe such a monumental peace accord could actually work.
The Gallagher brothers’ relationship seemed to always be fraught. And the fame spotlight shone upon them only intensified that.
Their spats were legendary – the infamous 2009 Paris brawl that ended Oasis, the Twitter tirades, and the seemingly endless digs at each other’s solo careers. They embody the kind of sibling rivalry that most of us leave behind in childhood.
But this is a new day. And what a class the Gallagher brothers are currently teaching.
With their actions, they are showing us that reconciliation isn’t about pretending the past never happened. It’s not about sweeping years of bitterness under the rug and saying ‘Let’s move on’.
What these two parka and bucket hat-wearing musical demi-gods are demonstrating is that reconciliation – true reconciliation – is dirty, messy, raw, and filled with difficult, charged emotions.
They are telling us that reconciliation is often found when people are still at each other’s throats but when there’s an underlying respect – perhaps even a begrudging love, be that familial or of a place – working it out is worth it. The Gallagher brothers have reminded us that relationships – especially those that matter – are complicated but often worth fighting for.
Who ever thought that the famously sassy and sarcastic musical siblings would be leading a class in living fuller, more happy lives together, in harmony? To leave the fighting and bickering behind for the sake of a prosperous future?
They have shown us the importance of humour in healing. Despite their venomous exchanges over the years, there’s always been a hint of wit that suggests a bond is still there underneath all the vitriol. None of us are going to live forever. Life is too short to be angry and humour can be the bridge between resentment and resolution. We know that here only too well.
Their reconciliation also illustrates the power of time. For years, the idea of an Oasis reunion seemed utterly impossible, as far away as our own peace here. But time has a way of dulling the sharp edges of conflict, allowing old wounds to heal. Sometimes, the best way to move forward is simply to wait and let time do its work.
And they also remind us that forgiveness doesn’t mean forgetting. The Gallaghers will likely never forget their tumultuous past. But they may have come to a point where they can acknowledge it, learn from it, and, hopefully, move beyond it.
In our own lives, we often carry the scars of past conflicts. Those scars can serve as reminders of our awful times, but also of our resilience and capacity for growth.
Hope can sometimes be in short supply here in Northern Ireland and the world seems like a very angry and toxic place at the moment. The Gallaghers have shown us that holding on to perseverance and hope - even when that hope is bloody from battle, frayed at the seams and aged with time – can bring reward.
Are we not all, like them, trying our best to keep the band together?
Let there be love.
Are we not all, like them, trying our best to keep the band together?
