Together/Apart

In conjunction with Together/Apart, a collaborative exhibition between the Little Museum of Dublin and the Centre for Humanities Research at the University of the Western Cape, the Trinity Long Room Hub hosts a panel discussion on the Irish anti-apartheid struggle featuring key members of the movement.

In April 1964, the Irish Anti-Apartheid Movement (IAAM) was launched in Dublin by Kader Asmal, a South-African law professor in Trinity College Dublin. Lobbying for improved human rights in South Africa, the Movement raised awareness of the racism experienced by communities and campaigned for the release of political prisoners.

Twenty years later, eleven young shopworkers in Dunnes Stores in Dublin, refused to handle South African goods. This simple act led to an almost three-year strike that became a symbol of solidarity in the liberation struggle.

Together/Apart invites us to consider the deeper resonances of solidarity that link the peoples of Ireland and South Africa. Beyond the spectre of war and violence, this exhibition asks us to reconsider the meaning of generosity, care and solidarity – ideas that once helped to forge a human chain in the face of apartheid.

This panel discussion explores the legacy of the Irish anti-apartheid struggle and asks what we can learn from historical expressions of international solidarity. Join the people who marched, campaigned and advocated for the end of apartheid.

Chaired by Prof. Patrick Geoghegan, Director of the Trinity Long Room Hub, panellists include:

Joan Burton, former IAAM Honorary Secretary and Labour Party leader

Hugo MacNeill OBE, former Irish rugby international and current Pro-Chancellor of Trinity College Dublin

Mary Manning, activist and former Dunnes Stores striker

Rafique Mottiar, former IAAM Treasurer and Vice-Chair

Dr Connal Parr, historian and author of Solidarity and Pressure

Refreshments from 3:30 pm. Panel discussion starts at 4 pm sharp.

The Together/Apart exhibition opens to the public in the Little Museum of Dublin on 14 May 2026 before travelling to South Africa later in the year.

This event is run in accordance with Trinity’s Dignity and Respect policy and its commitment to nurturing a respectful and inclusive research culture.

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Host or Publisher Trinity College Dublin; Centre for Contemporary Irish History, Trinity College Dublin; The Trinity Long Room Hub Arts and Humanities Research Institute, Trinity College Dublin; Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.