Border Literature

Border Literature. James Conor Patterson, Michelle Gallen and Tony Macauley. Borders and Boundaries. The Linen Hall (2023)

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.

Bordering on History

Bordering on History. Bryonie Reid Cormac Moore. Borders and Boundaries. The Linen Hall (2023).

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.

Border Identities

Border Identities. Arlene Foster and Bertie Ahern in conversation with Mark Simpson. Borders and Boundaries. The Linen Hall (2023).

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.

Your Referendum

Professor Jon Tonge and Suzanne Breen at The Linen Hall. Talk and live poll event. Your Referendum.

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?

The Agreement: Before & After

Before and After the Agreement. A production in partnership with Ian McElhinney and Dan Gordon.

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. 

Implementing the Agreement

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, Carmel Hanna, Quintin Oliver, Conor Murphy, Lord John Alderdice at The Linen Hall.

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.

The Origins of the Agreement

The Origins of the Agreement. A conversation with Gary McMichael, Monica McWilliams, Bríd Rodgers, Lord Peter Weir, and Mitchel McLaughlin at The Linen Hall.

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.

The Legacy of the Agreement

The Legacy of the Agreement: A panel conversation at The Linen Hall with Phillip Brett, Pádraig Delargy, Kate Nicholl, Cara Hunter, and John Stewart.

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.

Climate Change Tour

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.