October Universities mark US-Ireland relations and peacebuilding

As Ireland celebrates a century of diplomatic ties with the United States, University of Galway, Queen's University Belfast and University College Cork are partnering with the Irish Institute of Boston College to explore US-Ireland relations and peacebuilding.

The three universities make up the former Queen's Colleges in Ireland – established in 1845 to offer education to all denominations.

To mark the centenary and the historic links of the three institutions, a special conference is to take place at the Royal Irish Academy in Dublin on Friday October 4^th. 

The all-island and transatlantic event will shine a light on US connections to peacebuilding during the Northern Ireland conflict; reconciliation on the island of Ireland, both north and south; and diplomatic relations with the US - one of the most important for the island.

Among those taking part is former US Senator and peace envoy George Mitchell, who will open the conference with a video welcome message.

The distinguished line-up of academic speakers and policy practitioners includes:

• Ambassador Nancy Soderberg, Former US Deputy National Security Advisor and former Ambassador at the United Nations
• Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern
• Professor Brendan O’Leary, University of Pennsylvania
• Professor Mary C. Murphy, Director of the Irish Institute, Boston College
• Lynsey Moore, Director of International Relations for the Northern Ireland Executive Office
• Brian Glynn, Managing Director for the Americas in the European External Action Service     

The conference will address the potential future role of the US, especially in light of the upcoming 2024 US presidential election, along with the safeguarding of the Good Friday Agreement and supporting relations between the UK, Ireland, Northern Ireland and the EU.

It will also celebrate the historic links between the three former Queen's Colleges in Ireland - University of Galway, Queen's University Belfast, and University College Cork - and the relaunch of the Irish Institute of Boston College.

Professor Niall Ó Dochartaigh, Professor of Political Science at University of Galway, a 2024-25 Fulbright fellow researching US civil society peacemaking efforts during the Troubles at NYU, and one of the organisers of the conference, said: “Despite initial scepticism and resistance from many, the United States played a positive and significant role in the peace process of the 1990s and continues to play an important role today.

“By bringing together practitioners who were directly involved and scholars researching US involvement, this conference will enhance our understanding of the US role in the past and the potential for the US to play a positive role into the future.”

Professor Mary Murphy, Director of the Irish Institute, Boston College and one of the organisers of the conference, said: “Against an increasingly volatile and polarised global political landscape, the need to harness the lessons of the Northern Ireland peace process has never been more pressing. The Irish Institute at Boston College is very pleased to partner with colleagues from across the island of Ireland on this conference exploring the impact of US-Ireland relations and peacemaking.”

 Dr Peter McLoughlin, a Director of Internationalisation at Queen’s University Belfast who also helped organise the event, added that: “Even the recent challenges of Brexit have shown the continued importance of the US in preserving peace on the island of Ireland. This conference provides an ideal opportunity to review that role and to consider future relationships between the island and the US in an ever more uncertain world.”

For more information or to register for the conference visit https://tinyurl.com/bddjy3jv

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