The Irish border and the various boundaries within Northern Irish politics and society has had an enduring influence on arts and culture across the island of Ireland. Writers James Conor Patterson, Michelle Gallen, and Tony Macauley will discuss how borders and boundaries have influenced their work.
The creation of the Irish border in the early 1920s caused significant changes in the political, social, and economic landscape across the island of Ireland. In this talk, Bryonie Reid and Cormac Moore will explore the impact of the border on sport, trade, religion, and identity across the last century.
Hailing from very different political backgrounds on each side of the border, former First Minister of Northern Ireland, Baroness Arlene Foster DBE and former Taoiseach of Ireland, Bertie Ahern, will discuss their experiences and perspectives on how the border shaped their lives and identities from their early life to their political careers and beyond.
Professor Jon Tonge and Suzanne Breen will discuss the history of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement and its referendum and ask you a question that you may or may not have had the chance to answer before: if a referendum on the Agreement was held tomorrow, how would you vote?
This event is sold out.
How did playwrights address the Agreement? Join us for a flavour of some of the drama that came out of the process and crises. Curated by Ian McElhinney and Dan Gordon, readings will be performed by familiar faces whose stage careers span that seminal period in our history.
This event is sold out.
Join us for a panel discussion on the referendum, its competing sides, and the eventual implementation of devolution. Participants include Lord John Alderdice, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, Carmel Hanna, Conor Murphy and Quintin Oliver.
This event is sold out.
The Belfast/Good Friday Agreement was the product of years of talks and negotiations between politicians and community activists from Northern Ireland and across the globe. In this event, some of the protagonists of the negotiations from across the political spectrum share their insights on the origins of the Agreement that changed the history of Northern Ireland.
Nearly half the population of Northern Ireland today were under 18 or hadn’t even been born when the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement was signed and endorsed by referendum. Politicians from this generation share their thoughts and experiences on the impact of the Agreement and its legacies today.
The global climate crisis has serious implications for the natural world, presenting a wide range of risks and opportunities for our land, infrastructure, and economy. The NI Science Festival Climate Tour will bring together a wide range of expertise, across a series of events that will support communities in understanding climate threats and strengthening efforts to address climate change at all levels of society.
The Linen Hall (Belfast Library And Society For Promoting Knowledge) is registered with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland NIC 104 564.
