IBIS/IRISH ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE
The Ulster Covenant and Contemporary Ireland
Linen Hall Library, Belfast
Saturday, 22 September 2012
From l-r: Rev Brian Kennaway, Prof John Coakley, Dr Margaret O'Callaghan
Lord Trimble, Prof Graham Walker, Dr Brian Feeney, Sir George Quigley
Dr Paula Devine
Organised jointly by the Irish Association and IBIS, this conference explored the meaning of the Ulster Covenant for broader political life in the island of Ireland. The morning session addressed the historical background to the Covenant and looked at its political significance, concluding with a round-table discussion of the role of the Covenant in the twentieth century. The afternoon session examined the implications of political, social, demographic and attitudinal change for the values expressed in the Covenant in the early twenty-first century.
Joint Chairs: Rev Brian Kennaway and Sir George Quigley
Panel Speakers: Prof John Coakley (University College Dublin), Ed Curran OBE, Dr Paula Devine (Queen's University Belfast), Dr Brian Feeney (Irish News), Michael McDowell SC, Dr Margaret O'Callaghan (Queen's University Belfast), Lord Trimble of Lisnagarvey, Prof Graham Walker (Queen's University Belfast).
For the conference programme click here
For panel bios click here
| Papers and Presentations | |
| John Coakley | The Ulster Covenant - Presentation |
| Ed Curran | The Ulster Covenant then and now |
| Paula Devine | Protestants and Identity: the legacy of the Ulster Covenant |
| Brian Feeney | The Ulster Covenant: A contemporary perspective |
| Michael McDowell | The Ulster Covenant from a republican and nationalist perspective |
| Margaret O'Callaghan | Democratisation and polarisation in Ireland: the Covenant and the Third Home Rule Bill |
IBIS is grateful to the Dept of Foreign Affairs and Trade for their support of this conference