Staff and students at the VU recently gave a warm welcome to the retired Irish diplomat Tim O'Connor for a guest lecture on the Good Friday Agreement, which brought an end to most of the decades-long violence that marked the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
As one of the lead members of the Irish government's negotiation team, Tim was able to offer valuable insights into the agreements, disagreements and compromises that resulted in the GFA.
At his suggestion, Tim's presentation was framed as 'personal reflections of a practitioner', meaning that instead of utilising analytical frameworks to explain the outcome of the negotiations, he focused on the nuances, particularities and peculiarities of the discussions that took place. This also left room for attendees to learn about the various personalities involved in the negotiations from the British and Irish governments, as well as representatives of parties in Northern Ireland representing the region's political divides. The talk concluded with a lively and very enjoyable Question & Answer session.
