About this Event
The Anglo-Irish Agreement, which was signed on 15 November 1985 by the British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and the Irish Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald, marked a significant development in Anglo-Irish relations. It created a framework for greater cooperation between Britain and Ireland on political matters; security and related issues; legal matters, including the administration of justice; enabled an Irish Government input on Northern Ireland concerns and the promotion of cross-border cooperation. Although it was controversial among some parts of Northern Ireland society when it was signed, the Anglo-Irish Agreement arguably laid the groundwork for the later peaceful resolution of the Troubles.
This one-day conference to mark the 40th anniversary of this agreement brings together speakers who were directly involved in the negotiations on behalf of the British and Irish governments as well as international and Northern Ireland political figures. Together they will reflect on the genesis of the Agreement, the political reactions to it, subsequent developments, outworkings and enduring impacts.
The conference is hosted in partnership with the John and Pat Hume Foundation, the Royal Irish Academy and the Civic Engagement and Strategic Communications Directorate, QUB.
Panel 1 Historical Perspectives
Speakers:
Prof Paul Bew, Emeritus Professor Queen's University Belfast
Prof Margaret O’Callaghan, Queen's University Belfast
Prof Paul Arthur, Professor Emeritus of Politics at the University of Ulster
Dr Susie Deedigan, Facilitator, ARINS Project
Panel 2 The Political and Diplomatic Journey to the Anglo-Irish Agreement
Speakers:
Mark Durkan, Former Deputy First Minister
Noel Dorr, Former Irish Diplomat
Michael Lillis, Former Irish Diplomat
Rory Montgomery, Facilitator, Former Irish Diplomat and Honorary Professor of Practice of the Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice
Panel 3 The International importance of the Anglo-Irish Agreement
Speakers:
Ambassador Nancy Soderberg, Speaker, US Diplomat
Willie McCarter, Speaker, Former Chair of the International Fund for Ireland
Prof Brigid Laffan, Speaker, Chancellor University of Limerick, Emeritus professor at Robert Schuman Centre
Donna Traynor, Facilitator
Panel 4 The Impact of the Anglo-Irish Agreement
Speakers:
David Adams, Former loyalist paramilitary and politician
Sean Donlon, Former Irish diplomat
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Riddel Hall, 185 Stranmillis Road, Belfast, United Kingdom
GBP 0.00
