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Back in the USA
The 25th anniversary of the Good
Friday Agreement has attracted considerable national and international interest
in recent weeks. Part of this involved me travelling last week once again to
the USA. It must be four years since I was last there. While a lot has changed
politically in that time both here and in the U.S. some things never change –
among them the multiple stamping in red capitals of SSSS (Secondary
Security Screening Selection) on our
boarding passes and suitcase labels. It is explained as a random process
whereby travellers are selected for ‘enhanced’ searches. I have been getting
the SSSS stamp on every visit to and
from the USA for over 20 years. Randomly routine.
But apart from that the visit was an opportunity to
catch up with many old friends and thank them for the crucial role they played
in 1998 and continue to play today. If Irish America ever had any doubt about
its political strength it was evident last week in President Clinton’s presence
in a Cooper Union event in New York, the visit by President Joe Biden to
Ireland – North and South – this week and the expected presence of President
Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at events in Belfast this
weekend.
The Cooper Union event was hosted by seven Irish
American organisations; The Irish-American Unity Conference; the Friends Of
Sinn Féin; Ancient Order of Hibernians; The Friendly Sons of St. Patrick;
Brehon Law Society; James Connolly Irish American Labor Coalition; and Ladies
Ancient Order of Hibernians. President Clinton reminded the audience of the
challenges he then faced in engaging with the process, of the decisions he
took, including giving me that first all-important 48 hour New York visa in
January 1994 and his appointment of George Mitchell. He was forthright in his
call for the Assembly and the Executive to be restored.
The following night I spoke at a dinner hosted by
the Martin McGuinness Peace Foundation. Thanks to Marty Glennon and friends for
their involvement in both events.
The day after I returned from the USA I was in
Parliament Buildings. The Assembly Speaker Alex Maskey had organised a really
good ceremony to mark 25 anniversary of the Agreement. Entitled – A New
Beginning – the event brought together many of those who had taken part in the
negotiations to reflect on the process and its outcome.
The choir of the Belfast School of Performing Arts
were outstanding and the young people from the Youth Assembly who introduced
each of the speakers were a reminder that the future we are building is an
investment in their future. Thanks also to Dana Masters for her songs.
I said that I believe Jeffrey Donaldson when he
says that First Minister designate Michelle O’Neill taking up that office is
not a problem for him. So when the DUP has concluded its internal processes all
of us can look forward to a new phase of the northern Assembly. No other
scenario is viable.
Of course that does not mean that everyone else
should sit around twiddling our thumbs waiting for the DUP. The present
English government has no real investment in the Agreement. So there is a heavy
onus on the Irish government to use all the Good Friday Agreement mechanisms,
including the British-Irish
Intergovernmental conference, to make progress. English direct rule is not an
option..
Our responsibility is for the future. The past will
take care of itself. Let’s plan for the day when we will all govern ourselves
without the corrosive rule of London.
In the last 25 years we have fallen down many
times. In fact we are very good at that. But we also are good at getting back
up again. We are very successful at that. Let’s be successful once again.
Alex with his mother Teresa after his election in 2002 as Mayor.
This week Alex Maskey shares his reflections on the
negotiations for the Good Friday Agreement 25 years ago.
Reflections on the GFA
They say a week is a long time in politics. This
month we mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement
and we all should reflect on why it is that the Agreement is not yet fully
implemented.
One thing is certain and that is that republicanism
is stronger now across the island than it has been at any time in this past
century, with the continuing growth of Sinn Fein and emergence of civic United
Irelanders while other progressives search for a political home including
within a new Ireland. I believe that the GFA itself remains a work in progress
however I also believe passionately that it has successfully set the template
for all of our politics since 1998.
I would say however with some frustration
that many commentators often name check a number of participants and leaders in
the negotiations. I won’t take away from the contributions made by many in
making the agreement possible and effectively helping to end what had been the
latest 30 year phase of conflict. But rarely do those same commentators get
beyond citing Martin McGuinness or even Gerry Adams (on a good day) as
architects of the GFA despite the critical role played by them both and many
others. But that’s a discussion for another day.
Building the peace process through the mid-nineties
was met with many challenges. However progress was made though perhaps with two
steps forward and one step back until 1997 when all changed. In 1997 Sinn Fein
was eventually formally admitted into the Talks at Castle Buildings,
Stormont.
As a member of our Talks team I had the great
pleasure to work closely on a day to day basis with our late and dear friend
Siobhan O’Hanlon who managed our administration with absolute professionalism
and discipline. Part of my own work was to ensure that as many of our local
party organisers and elected representatives could visit to either observe or
participate in some element of the Talks process in order to give as many as
possible greater insight into the process of negotiations. For us this was
essential to underline to our members the premise that negotiations should
always be much more than what goes on “in the room.” In the room or outside the
room as activists we all had to complement each other by campaigning, fighting
elections, engaging with our communities and winning the arguments we faced
daily.
At times as we moved closer to an Agreement the
pace was frantic which only served to keep our team even more focussed on the
job in hand. But I must say it was also at times nerve wrecking because we all
understood how pivotal and important, even historical, that an actual peace
agreement could be reached under our watch.
Once agreement was reached on Good Friday under the
brilliant leadership of US Senator George Mitchel we knew that our work was
only just beginning as we set about establishing a new Assembly etc but that
the experience we had gained would serve us very well.
Ceol
I love music. All kinds of music. I listen to the radio a lot. I still have cassette tapes and vinyl from the 1970’s. I play them also. And CDs. And an iPod. I also have music on my phone. Every so often my devices organise my music into a Favourite Mix. For those of you who share my love for music here’s a sample of what my phone has selected. It includes Bruce Springsteen and James Taylor. The Byrds. Them.
Kathleen Thompson. Sharon Shannon. John Spillane. Christy. Lisa O Neill. The Bothy Band.Cormac Breathnach. The Animals. Mary Coughlan. Planxty. Liam O Flynn. Frances and May Black. The Gloaming. Bob Dylan. John Prine. Pavoratti. Leonard Cohen. Cormac Begley. Ry Cooder Altan. Willie Nelson. Paddy Glackin.John mc Cormack. Caitlín Maude. The Chieftains.Ray Charles. Pete Seeger. Sean O Sé. Clannad. The Saw Doctors. Luka Bloom. Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh. Joe Heaney. Simon and Garfunkel. The Rolling Stones. Beatles. Skara Brae. Woody Gutherie. Van Morrison. Willie Nelson. Eileen Ivers.
Like books, dogs and children it’s hard to pick a
favourite song or musician. I love many many more. Let the
music keep your spirits high.
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