Meath Peace Group Public Talks 1993-2005
Chronological List of Public Talks Held from 1993-2007
Note: Transcripts and/or summaries are available for most of the talks held and most of these are available in the archives section of our website - exceptions include the first seven talks held in 1993-94, for which notes only were kept, and a few of the later talks for which difficulties were experienced with tape ( It is hoped to produce edited transcripts for some of these in the near future). From 1995 onwards, all of the public talks were recorded, and from 1997 onwards, video recordings were also made.
Copyright: Meath Peace Group hold copyright in the reports/summaries of the talks. Reports may be downloaded and copied for study purposes provided no alterations are made to the content and the source is fully acknowledged.
1993
1. Sept. 21, 1993: "Building Understanding - The Work of Co-Operation North" -Patricia Cullen; Geraldine Horgan (Co-operation North)
2. Nov. 9, 1993: "Education for Peace"-Sr. Maura Ward, I.C.J.P.
3. Nov. 30, 1993: "The Roots of the Troubles" -Dr. Joseph Liechty (Irish School of Ecumenics)
1994
4. Feb. 8, 1994: Peace and Reconciliation Group, L/Derry; Jimmy Duffy, Tanya Gallagher, Jan Caspers
5. March 1, 1994: Families Against Intimidation and Terror: Nancy Gracey, Sally MacCartan, Sam Cushnahan
6. March 22, 1994: "Human Rights – The work of the Committee on the Administration of Justice" -Martin O'Brien (CAJ, Belfast)
7. April 21, 1994: "The Work of the Community Relations Officer" - Brian Devlin, CRO, Craigavon
8. May 24, 1994: "How People in the Republic can help the Peace Process" -Fr. Denis Faul (Dungannon)
9. May 31, 1994 "The Unionist Perspective" -Rev. Martin Smyth, MP (UUP and Grand Master of the Orange Order) [Summary available]
10. Sept. 27, 1994: "Articles 2 and 3 of the Constitution of Ireland" -Gerard Hogan (lecturer in law, TCD); Ken Maginnis, MP (UUP); Brid Rogers (SDLP); John Bruton, TD (Leader, Fine Gael); Dermot Ahern, TD (Fianna Fail) [Report available]
11. Nov. 29, 1994: "After the Ceasefires - The Way Forward: Loyalist Perspectives" -Rev. Roy Magee; Billy Mitchell (P.U.P.) Eddie Kinner (P.U.P.) [Report available]
1995 [from 1995 on, all public talks were recorded]
12. Feb. 7, 1995: "After the Ceasefires - The Way Forward: Republican Perspectives" -Liz Groves (Falls Road Community Council); Cllr. Francis Molloy (Sinn Fein); Joan O'Connor (Sinn Fein) [Report available]
13. Feb. 28, 1995: "The Framework Document" -James Tansley, British Embassy; Andrew Boylan, TD (FG); Brian Fitzgerald, TD(Lab); Eamon O Cuiv, TD (FF); David Tower (P.U.P.); Joyce MacCartan [Report available]
14. April 25, 1995: "After the Ceasefires - The Way Forward" -Marian Donnelly (President, Workers Party); Cllr. Bill Ramsay (Alliance Party, Craigavon) [Report available]
15. May 16, 1995: "After the ceasefires - The Challenge for Christians" -Rev. Leslie Carroll (Tiger’s Bay, Belfast); Fr. Brian Lennon, SJ (Portadown); Rev. Tim Kinahan (Belfast) [Report available]
16. May 23, 1995: "Victims of Violence" -Marie Smyth; Ann McMullan; Brendan Bradley (Ardoyne) [Report available]
17. June 13, 1995: "Prisoners and their Families" -Nuala Kelly (I.C.P.O.); Martie Rafferty (Quaker Prison Service); Ronnie McCartney; Marty Snoddon (former prisoners); Chaired by Hon. Judge Catherine McGuinness (Chair, Forum for Peace and Reconciliation) [Report available]
18. Oct. 16, 1995: "The Orange Order Today" -Roger Bradley (Education Committee, Grand Orange Lodge); Gordon Lucy (Chair, Ulster Society); David Richardson (Lodge of Research); Dominic Bryan (University of Ulster) [Report available]
19. Nov. 13, 1995: "Orange Marches in Portadown - The Garvaghy Road Residents' Experience" -Evelyn White; Breandan MacCionnaith; Eamon Stack, SJ; Joe Duffy (Garvaghy Road Residents Group) [Report available]
1996
20. Jan. 29, 1996: "Changing Perceptions" -Roy Garland (UUP); Billy Mitchell (P.U.P.); Lily Kerr (WP)
21. April 29, 1996: "Building Trust in Ireland" -Hon. Mrs Justice Catherine McGuinness (Chair, Forum for Peace and Reconciliation); Prof. Brice Dickson (University of Ulster) [Report available]
22. Oct. 1, 1996: "Parading Disputes in Northern Ireland" -Brid Rogers (SDLP); Richard Whitten (Education Committee, Grand Orange Lodge); James Tansley (First Secretary, British Embassy); Dominick Bryan and Neil Jarman (researchers, University of Ulster) [Report available]
23. Oct. 8, 1996: "History Teaching - North and South" -Carmel Gallagher (N.I. Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment); Errol Lemon (Principal, Brownlow College); Neil O’Boyle (St. Patrick’s C.S., Navan); Jean Kenny (Dundalk Grammar); Gerry O’Sullivan (Kells Community School); Chaired by Rev. Fr. Gerard Rice (P.P., Kilcloon)
1997
24. March 4, 1997: "Policing in Northern Ireland" -David Cook (chairman of Police Authority, 1994-1996); Maggie Beirne (C.A.J., Belfast) [Report available]
25. April 28, 1997: "Unionism and Unionist Politics" - Dr. Norman Porter (UUP); Dr. Feargal Cochrane (Research officer, Centre for the Study of Conflict, University of Ulster); Roy Garland (UUP); Chaired by Henry Mount Charles [Report available]
26. Oct. 20, 1997: "The Emergent Irish State - Did We Turn our Backs on the North?" -Tom Garvin (Head of Politics, UCD; John Bruton, TD, Leader of Fine Gael. Chaired by Sean Boylan (Meath GAA football manager). (SDLP and Sinn Fein speakers unable to attend) [Report available]
27. Nov. 18, 1997: "Nationalism and Republicanism - A Vision for the Future?" -Dr. Martin Mansergh, (special adviser to the Taoiseach); Anne Speed (Sinn Fein); Cllr. Alex Attwood (SDLP); Proinsias de Rossa, TD (Leader, Democratic Left). Chaired by Brendan O’Brien (RTE) [Report available]
1998
28. April 6, 1998: "A Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland" -Cllr. Hugh Carr, SDLP; John Lowry, W P; Paul Mageean, CAJ; Andrew Park, UUP. Chaired by John Rogers S.C. [Report available]
29. May 5, 1998: "The Good Friday Agreement" -Noel Dempsey, TD, Minister for the Environment; Nora Owen, TD (Fine Gael); Cllr. Brian Fitzgerald, (Labour); Cllr. John Fee (SDLP); Lily Kerr (WP); Mary Montague (Corrymeela Community); Chaired by Paul Murphy (Editor, Drogheda Ind.) [Report available]
30. Oct. 19, 1998: "Parading Disputes - Is There a Better Future?" -Cllr. Fergus McQuillan (SDLP), Orla Maloney (Drumcree Faith and Justice Group), Roger Bradley, John Hunter, Ernest Baird (members of the Orange Order), Michael Doherty (Parades Commission), Dominick Bryan (Centre for the Study of Conflict). Chaired by Fergus Finlay. [Report available]
31. Nov. 30, 1998: "Overcoming Barriers - The Work of the NI Women’s Political Forum." -Patricia Lewsley (SDLP), Lily Kerr (WP), Joan Crothers (PUP), Sarah Duncan (Alliance). [Report available]
1999
32. Mar. 24, 1999: "Victims are Part of the Peace Process" -Marie Smyth (Cost of Troubles Study); Billy Stevenson (Victims’ Liaison Unit; John Wilson (Victims’ Commission); Don Mullan (for “Justice for the Forgotten”), Chaired by Kitty Harlin (ICA) [Report available]
33. April 26, 1999: "The Human Rights Agenda" - Brice Dickson (NI Human Rights Commission); Dermot Nesbitt. MLA (UUP); John Kelly MLA(SF); Mgr. Denis Faul. Chaired by Ercus Stewart, S.C.[Report available]
34. Nov. 1, 1999: "Policing Reform in Northern Ireland - Perspectives on the Patten Report" -Dr. Martin Mansergh (Special Adviser to An Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern), Alex Attwood, MLA (SDLP), James Leslie, MLA (UUP), Bairbre de Brun, MLA (Sinn Fein). Chaired by Brendan O’Brien (RTE) [Report available]
35. Nov. 29, 1999: "Beyond Drumcree - Peacebuilding in North Belfast" –Tony Harrison (chair, Lower Cavehill Residents Association), Tony Kerr (chair, Kansas Residents Association), Lily Kerr (N.I. Women’s Political Forum). Chaired by Chris Hudson, M.B.E.
2000
36. Feb. 21, 2000: "Peacebuilding and Peace Movements in Israel /Palestine" -Dr. Yehezkel Landau (Director of Open House for Jewish-Palestinian Reconciliation, Ramleh). (Bellinter Conference Centre)
37. April 10, 2000: "The Good Friday Agreement - Two Years On" -Sean Farren, MLA (SDLP), Dr. Esmond Birnie, MLA (UUP), Cllr. Gary McMichael (Leader, UDP), John Bruton, T.D. (Leader of Fine Gael). Chaired by Ercus Stewart, S.C. [Report available]
38. June 12, 2000: "Making a Difference - The New Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly" Robin Wilson (Democratic Dialogue), Cllr. Anne Carr (Women Together Moving On), Jim Lennon (Chair, SDLP), Dermot Nesbitt, MLA (UUP) [Sinn Fein and DUP also invited to speak]. Chaired by Fergus Finlay [Report available]
39. Nov. 28, 2000: "Cementing the Peace - The Role of the Republic's Government and People" - Brian Hayes, TD (Fine Gael), Cllr. Brian Fitzgerald (Ind.), Micheal Mac Donncha (Sinn Fein), Dr. Martin Mansergh; Dr. Gerard Hogan, S.C.. Chaired by Roy Garland [Report available]
2001
40. Feb. 12, 2001: "Teaching our Shared History" -Dr Michael Farry (Education Centre, Navan); John Lowry (Workers’ Party, Belfast), Dr. Kenneth Milne (Chair, Irish Society for Archives), Ruairi Quinn, T.D. (Leader, Labour Party). Chaired by David Robertson (Teacher of History, Wilson’s Hospital School) [Report available]
Due to the foot and mouth crisis, and illness on the committee, other public talks in 2001 were cancelled or postponed
2002
41. Jan. 29, 2002: "Respect for Diversity – Experiences of the Irish Islamic community" –Dr. Zekria Bakhshi, Dr. Najia Bakhshi, Dr. Zakia Al Akkari, Dr.Ben Ramadan. Chaired by Pat Raleigh (Columban Fathers)
42. Feb. 27, 2002: "North Belfast - Communities in Crisis: Challenges for the Belfast Agreement." Rev. Norman Hamilton (Presbyterian Ministry, Ballysillan), Roy Garland (UUP), Cllr. Martin Morgan (SDLP), Fr. Aidan Troy (Holy Cross Church, Ardoyne). Chaired by Brendan O’Brien (RTE) [Report available]
43. May 20, 2002: "Diversity of Ethos – Challenges for a 'Mono-Ethnic, Mono-Cultural' Society?" –John Carr (INTO), Bishop Richard Clarke, Fr. Frank Kelly (PP, Granard), Paul Rowe (Educate Together), Dr. Kevin Williams (Mater Dei Institute, Dublin). Chaired by Barbara Sweetman FitzGerald, CBE.[Report available]
44. Sept. 9, 2002: "Bethlehem 2002 – Palestinian and Christian Perspectives" – H.E. Ali Halimeh (Del. General of Palestine to Ireland), Rev. Desmond and Mrs. Jennifer Sinnamon (Taney Road Church), Khalid Ajamieh (Palestinian reporter). Chaired by Mary Eldin. (Joint talk with Navan Amnesty Group)
45. Sept. 30, 2002: "The Good Friday Agreement – Where Are We Now?" – Professor Paul Bew (Dept. of Irish Politics, Q.U.B.) and Michael McDowell, T.D. (Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform). Chaired by Ercus Stewart, S.C. [Report available]
46. Nov. 18, 2002: "Peace and Stability in Northern Ireland – A DUP Perspective." -Cllr. Gregory Campbell, MLA (DUP). Chaired by Paul Murphy[Report available]
2003
47. Feb. 18, 2003: "Acts of Completion and Beyond – Beginning the Reconciliation Process" -David Ford, MLA (South Antrim) (Leader, Alliance Party), Cllr. Chris McGimpsey (UUP, West Belfast), Cllr. Francie Molloy, MLA (Mid Ulster) (Sinn Fein), Trudy Millie (NI Women’s Coalition Chaired by Andy Pollak, Director of the Centre for Cross-Border Studies [Report available]
48. April 7, 2003: "Parades, Protests and Human Rights – The Quigley Review" -Brice Dickson (Chief Commissioner, NI Human Rights Commission), Michael Hamilton (Research Student, University of Ulster), Philip Black (member of Orange Order, LOL 44, Lurgan, Co. Armagh) [replacing Cllr. Nelson McCausland], Austen Morgan (barrister and author). Chaired by Lt. Gen. Gerry McMahon (Chair of the Irish Peace and Reconciliation Platform and Former Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces)[Report available]
49. May 21, 2003: "Active Non-violence – Outflanking the Just War Theory" -Fr. Niall O’Brien, SSC. Chaired by John Clancy (Held in association with the 10th anniversary celebrations of the Meath Peace Group) [Report available]
50. Oct. 6, 2003: "Reconciliation, Peacebuilding and the Churches" -Most Rev. Dr. Robin Eames, Archbishop of Armagh, Msgr. Raymond Murray, PP, Cookstown and Rev. Doug Baker (Presbyterian Ministry, Belfast and Corrymeela Community). Chaired by Rev. Fr. Tommy Murphy, Regional Director, Columbans. [Summary available]
2004
51. March 29, 2004: "The DUP’s Vision for the Future" -George Dawson, MLA and Mervyn Storey, MLA. Chaired by Ercus Stewart, S.C. [Report available]
52. May 17, 2004: "Truth, Justice and the Healing of Memories." -Brandon Hamber, Rev. Norman Hamilton,Mike Ritchie, Francis Teeney. Chaired by Cathal MacCoille
53. Nov. 29, 2004: "Policing, Justice and the Bill of Rights." Brice Dickson (NIHRC), Barry McElduff, MLA (Sinn Fein), Michael Leavy, Roy Garland (UUP). Chaired by Francis Fitzpatrick [Summary available]
2005
54. Feb. 25, 2005: "The Good Friday Agreement: the Future." -Dermot Ahern, T.D., Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dominic Bradley, MLA (SDLP) and John O’Dowd, MLA (Sinn Fein). Chaired by Michael Reade (LMFM) [Report available]
55. March 7, 2005: "Where do we go from here?" -Paul Bew, Professor of Irish Politics, QUB, Sean Farren, MLA (SDLP) and Jim Wells, MLA (DUP). Chaired by Michael Reade (LMFM) [Report available]
56. May 9th, 2005: "Bombings and their aftermath – Birmingham and other experiences." -Michael Nangle, Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Jacinta de Paor, L.I.V.E. Coordinator, Glencree Centre, Gareth Porter, H.U.R.T. Group, Lurgan, Co. Armagh. Chaired by Michael Reade (LMFM). Talk dedicated to memory of Niall O’Brien, SSC (deceased 2004) [Report available]
57. June 20th, 2005: "Paramilitarism, Criminality and the Good Friday Agreement" -Michael McDowell, TD, Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform; Chaired by Michael Reade (LMFM). Ardboyne Hotel, Navan [Report available]
58. Nov. 14th, 2005: "Who Can we Trust?" -West Tyrone Voice Victims’ Group. Dr Hazlett Lynch, Billy Harpur, Gamble Moore, Raymond Finlay. Chaired by Roy Garland, Irish News columnist and co-chair Guild of Uriel[Report available]
2006
59. March 27th, 2006: "Devolution and Cross-border Cooperation: prospects and realities." -Sean Farren, MLA (SDLP), Francie Molloy, MLA (Sinn Féin), Jim Wells, MLA (DUP)Chaired by Michael Reade (LMFM)[Report available]
60. April 10th, 2006: "The Legacy of War – experiences of UDR families" -Martin Snoddon (Conflict Trauma Resource Centre, Belfast), Rosemary McCullough and Teena Patrick (former ‘Green Finches’).Chaired by Roy Garland [Report available]
61. April 24th, 2006: "Easter 1916 – the Irish Rebellion" -Dr. Charles Townshend (Prof. of Modern History, Keele University, author of "Easter 1916"). Chaired by Brendan O’Brien (Presenter, Newstalk 106, author of "The Long War") [Report available]
62. June 12th, 2006: "Irish involvement in the Great War." Professor Paul Bew (Dept of Politics, Q.U.B.) and Tom Burke, MBE (Royal Dublin Fusiliers Association). Chaired by Cathal MacCoille (RTE). Venue: Ardboyne Hotel, Navan [Report available]
63. Nov. 13th, 2006: "Towards a Shared Future" -Duncan Morrow (CEO, NI Community Relations Council), Dr Esmond Birnie, MLA (UUP), Caroline Wilson (Good Relations Officer, Belfast City Council), Jeremy Gardiner (Youthlink, Ballymena). Chaired by Dr Colin Coulter (Dept. of Sociology, NUI Maynooth) [Report available]
2007
64. Jan. 29th 2007: "Peace and stability – the way forward." -Dominic Bradley, MLA (SDLP), Gregory Campbell, MLA, MP (DUP), Cllr Killian Forde (SF) and Cllr James McKerrow (UUP). Chaired by Des Fegan (Cooperation Ireland). Held in Ardboyne Hotel Navan [summary available]
65. Feb. 12th, 2007: "A Shared Future – Challenges and realities in interface areas." -Dr Neil Jarman (Director, Institute of Conflict Research, Belfast), Chris O’Halloran (Belfast Interface Project), Frankie Gallagher (UPRG) and Sean Brennan (N. Belfast Developing Leadership Initiative). Chaired by Michael Reade (LMFM) [summary available]
2008
66. April 23rd, 2007: "Making Peace with the Past - options for truth recovery". -Kate Turner, Irwin Turbitt, Pat Conway, Alan Wardle (Healing Through Remembering), Dr Hazlett Lynch (West Tyrone Voice) and Margaret Urwin (Justice for the Forgotten). Chaired by Dr. Richard Clarke, Bishop of Meath and Kildare. [Report available]
67. May 21st, 2007: "Towards a Shared Future - Ballymena". -Jackie Patton (CRO, Ballymena), Delia Close (vice-chair, Ballymena District Policing Partnership), Cate Magee (Principal, St Patrick’s College, Ballymena), Ronnie Hassard (Principal, Ballymena Academy), Fr Paul Symonds (Kirkinriola parish, Ballymena) and Jeremy Gardiner (Youthlink, Ballymena). Chaired by Mairin Colleary (Chief Executive, Glencree Centre for Reconciliation). Held at the Newgrange Hotel, Navan.