O’Conall Street

Off to the official launch of the 40th anniversary of the civil rights campaign in Northern Ireland this evening in the Linenhall Library, Belfast. In 1968, a series of events took place here which changed the face of Northern Ireland irrevocably.

These events were the culmination of attempts since the early 1960s by a number of different organisations and individuals to highlight injustices in Northern Ireland.  The Campaign for Social Justice, the Derry Housing Action Committee and the Campaign for Democracy in Ulster were examples of this.  Their concern was not with the great constitutional issues which had dominated political debate thereto, but with the everyday issues which dominated people’s lives. In 1967, the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association was founded to address all these issues. The following year, inspired by the courage of Civil Rights leaders in the United States, and by their example of peaceful non-violent protest, Civil Rights protesters began to take to the streets of Northern Ireland. Their objective was to bring an end to injustice in the system of public authority housing provision, injustice in public and private employment practices, injustice in voting and representational rights, and the arbitrary and oppressive powers available to the state to suppress dissent.

The things that happened during that pivotal year had a profound effect upon our society, and precipitated an avalanche of change which left no part of our community untouched.  Such was the importance of these events, and what they led to, that it is appropriate and even necessary, 40 years later, to commemorate them in a sober and reflective way, to seek to learn from what happened, to consider the significance of the Civil Rights Movement for our society today and the continuing resonance of the issues which it addressed, and the ideals which underpinned it.

A number of those who were active in leadership positions in the Civil Rights Movement in 1968, have established a broadly based NI Civil Rights Commemoration Committee to commemorate the events of 1968 in such a way as to serve the historical record as best they can, and to generate a balanced and inclusive reflection upon that year. 

Their objectives are:

• To honour the courage all those who took part in the Civil Rights movement.

• To examine the civil rights challenges at home and abroad today especially racism and sectarianism in Ireland and the need to build a tolerant and inclusive society throughout the island.

• To support and strengthen the protection of civil/human rights throughout Ireland and to share the lessons of the Northern Ireland Civil Rights movement with people working for human rights in situations of conflict.

• To explore the legacy of civil rights through documentation, conferences and other events.

• To reflect on the achievement of civil rights movement as an example of non-violent and peaceful change.

• To commemorate the shared/contested history of civil rights on a cross community basis.

My Dad, now gone from this earth,  joined many of the marches and demonstrations as a young man. He was just one of tens of thousands mobilised by the simple call for equality and social justice.
The Committee is planning a programme of events which will mark the major milestones of the civil rights campaign, such as the ‘Caledon Squatting’, the first Civil Rights March from Coalisland to Dungannon and the enormous demonstration in Derry on November 19th, 1968.

These will include:

• Historical lectures
• Cross Community Platforms on Civil Rights
• Schools Programme
• Exhibitions
• The Role of Women in Civil Rights
• McCluskey Civil Rights Summer School
• Seminars and international conferences to commemorate Caledon Squatting’, the first Civil Rights March from Coalisland to Dungannon, 5 October Duke Street in Derry March.

The Commemoration Committee includes as many of those who were active in positions of leadership in 1968, as it has been possible to reach to date. It is chaired by former SDLP MLA, Denis Haughey.  The others involved as patrons and committee members are: Michael Farrell,Vice Chair, Fionnbarra O’Dochartaigh Treasurer, Frank McManus Vice Treasurer, Mrs. Jean Coyle, Mr Paul Grace, Dr Con McCluskey, Mr Fred Heatley, Mrs Patricia McCluskey, Mrs Bernadette McAliskey, Professor Kader Asmal, Rev Terence McCaughey, Professor Kevin Boyle, Sen. Mary Kathleen O’Doherty King, Mr Michael Canavan, Mr Paul Rose, Dr Anthony Coughlan, Mr Claude Wilton, Prof. Paul Arthur, Ms Dympna McGlade, Prof. Paul Bew,  Mr Michael McKeown, Cllr Ivan Barr, Mr Aidan McKinney, Mr Francie Brolly MLA, Mr Michael McLaughlin, Mr Ivan Cooper, Mr Terry McLaughlin, Mr Austin Currie, Mr Frank McManus, Mr James Doherty, Mr Kevin McNamara, Mr Paddy ‘Bogside’ Doherty, Mr Rory McShane, Ms Ann Devlin, Mr Fionnbarra O’Dochartaigh, Ms Padraigin Drinan, Mr Seamus O Tuathail SC, Prof. Henry Patterson, Prof. Sean Farren, Dr Eamon Phoenix, Mr Michael Halpenny, Ms Brid Rodgers, Ms Brid Ruddy, Mr John Hume, Ms Edwina Stewart, Mr Hugh Logue, Cllr James McGarvey,  Mr Vinnie McCormack, Dr. Raymond McClean, Mrs Sheila McClean, Ms Margaret McCluskey   

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 27th, 2008 at 5:06 pm and is filed under Current Affairs, Personal, Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.