GB. Northern Ireland. The Peace Womens Movement later The Peace People began in 1976 as a protest movement against the on-going violence in Northern Ireland, sparked by the death of an innocent child by a hijacked car in Belfast. Its three founders were: Mairead Corrigan, (now Mairead Corrigan Maguire), Betty Williams and Ciaran McKeown. Over 100,000 people were involved in the initial movement and two of the founders, Mairead and Betty, received the Nobel Peace Prize for that year. Founders Mairead Corrigan, and Betty Williams sorting letters of support. 1976.