40 Years On: Reflecting on the Anglo-Irish Agreement

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

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Host or Publisher The Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice