Behind the Headlines | The Future of Northern Ireland

Thursday, 15 April 2021, 7 – 8:30pm The years since 1998 have seen
a major decline in violence in Northern Ireland, continued growth
in North-South co-operation, the expansion of mixed religion
workplaces and significant economic recovery. Despite this, media,
academic and public attention is currently consumed by headlines
around the NI Protocol and the tensions within the British-Irish
relationship. In this ‘Behind the Headlines’ event on Northern
Ireland, we explore the strong and growing incentives within the
pro-union community that look towards interdependence: the building
of better connections and partnerships, both North-South and
East-West, and an improved environment for health, economy, society
and culture across the island. The panel, comprising prominent
representatives from pro-union/pro-NI backgrounds as well as
Dublin-based speakers with different perspectives, will address
these longer-term prospects and challenge some of the perceptions
that continue to impede the further development of positive
all-island relationships. Speakers: Dr Etain Tannam is Associate
Professor in International Peace Studies at Trinity College Dublin.
Dr Tannam’s main area of expertise is British-Irish cooperation and
Irish/Northern cross-border cooperation, with emphasis on Brexit’s
impact. Professor Pete Shirlow is Director at the University of
Liverpool’s Institute of Irish Studies. Professor Shirlow was
formerly the Deputy Director of the Institute for Conflict
Transformation and Social Justice, QUB. Ms Claire Sugden is an
Independent unionist Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for
East Londonderry, Northern Ireland. She was the Minister of Justice
in the fourth Northern Ireland Executive from May 2016 to March
2017. Rory Montgomery is a Policy Fellow in Residence at the
Trinity Long Room Hub and until recently, the Second Secretary
General at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade with
responsibility for EU issues, including Brexit. The Trinity Long
Room Hub Behind the Headlines series is supported by the John
Pollard Foundation. Learn more at:
https://www.tcd.ie/trinitylongroomhub/