Tory government minister endorses new collection of ‘diverse outlooks’ on Northern Ireland Centenary

A Northern Ireland Office (NIO) minister has endorsed a book about the centenary of the state’s founding, saying it is “thought-provoking and informative”.
An image of the cover of the book on a table in the Linenhall Library; the front page images include a Foyle LGBTQQIA+ Pride parade on the left to former Alliance MLA Anna Lo on the rightAn image of the cover of the book on a table in the Linenhall Library; the front page images include a Foyle LGBTQQIA+ Pride parade on the left to former Alliance MLA Anna Lo on the right
An image of the cover of the book on a table in the Linenhall Library; the front page images include a Foyle LGBTQQIA+ Pride parade on the left to former Alliance MLA Anna Lo on the right

The book is titled ‘1921- 2021 Northern Ireland Centenary Historical Perspectives’ and consists of 22 different essays, compiled by something called the Centenary Historical Advisory Panel (CHAP).

This panel was announced by the Prime Minister in August 2020.

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Its aim was to “provide advice to the Centenary Forum and the government on the historical facts of the centenary” (the Centenary Forum in turn was a different government-created panel, which was meant to “progress plans to mark 100 years since the creation of Northern Ireland in a spirit of mutual respect, inclusiveness and reconciliation”).

Among the 22 chapters in the book are these:

“Controlling women’s bodies in Northern Ireland, 1921–2021” (by Leanne McCormick);

“Out of the shadows: one hundred years of LGBT life in Northern Ireland” (by Tom Hulme);

“Troubled love: the north and writing romance across the divide” (by Alison Garden);

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“Tragedies and farce: partition and the border” (by Peter Leary);

“Reordering the world in the aftermath of the First World War” (by Niamh Gallagher);

“Two great communal leaders: Sir James Craig (1870–1940) and Joe Devlin (1871–1934)” (by Lord Bew);

and “‘Not an inch’: Northern Ireland staking its claim before the Boundary Commission” (by Timothy G McMahon).

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The book itself was published by the Newtownards-based charity the Ulster Historical Foundation.

And today Conor Burns, the minister of state for Northern Ireland (serving under secretary Brandon Lewis) met with members of CHAP at Belfast’s Linen Hall Library “to thank them for their work throughout the NIO’s Centenary Programme”.

In a statement from the NIO, Tory MP Mr Burns said: “This collection of essays is thought provoking and informative.

“In the introduction it says ‘Northern Ireland had meant different things to different people in the century since its foundation and ballast for multiple interpretations can be found in this collection’.

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“As a proud son of Northern Ireland and a student of history I became immersed in this volume and its wide and informative scope.

“It is a volume to be enjoyed and to inform and I am proud that the NIO played a part in making this book a reality as part of a balanced way of marking a significant anniversary in Northern Ireland’s history.”

QUB professor Lord Paul Bew, the chairman of CHAP, said: “This book is an attempt to convey the richness and complexity of Northern Ireland’s history over the last 100 years.

“The panel of professional historians shared diverse outlooks on Northern Ireland and these essays are an attempt to reflect those wide ranging views.”

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The other members of chap are: Dr Brian Barton (independent historian), Dr Marie Coleman, Dr Margaret O’Callaghan, and Prof Graham Walker (all QUB historians), Dr Niamh Gallagher (Cambridge historian), Dr Caoimhe Nic Dháibhéid (University of Sheffield historian), and Prof Henry Patterson (Ulster University politics professor).

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