POSSE COMMITTEE
MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON
WEDNESDAY, 25 JANUARY, 2012 AT 11.00AM
LIBRARY, CITY HALL, BELFAST
Present:
Dr. Ian Adamson, Co-Chair
Senator Martin McAleese, Co-Chair
Mr. Jackie McDonald
Mr. George Newell
Mr. Sean Murray
Mr. Tom Hartley
Prof. Wesley Hutchinson
Ms. Gillian McIntosh
Apologies:
Mr. Eamon Phoenix
1. Minutes of Previous Meeting:
The Minutes of the Meeting held on 8th December 2011 were approved.
2. West Belfast Festival:
It was noted that an event would be held in Berry Street Presbyterian Church on Thursday, 15 March 2012 at 7.00pm as part of the West Belfast Spring Festival. The event would explore different perspectives on the Centenaries with a particular focus on the Ulster Covenant. The meeting is being organised by Danny Morrison and will be chaired/facilitated by Yvette Shapiro. Speakers are Tom Hartley, Gordon Lucy and Eamon Phoenix.
3. Principles of Engagement:
These principles prepared by Sinn Fein were accepted as reflecting “appropriate language”
for engagement with the “other”.
It was agreed that Ian Adamson and Sean Murray would contact the Community Relations Council and recommend that these principles be adopted in relation to all events celebrating sensitive centenaries.
4. Reading List outlining the historic context of the Centenaries:
Tom Hartley was thanked for preparing this list and all committee members were asked to read as much of the material as they could and to circulate the list to as wide a circle of friends and acquaintances as possible.
5. Meeting with Minister Deenihan:
Martin McAleese reported that he had recently met with Minister Deenihan.
– The Minister agreed to meet with the Committee along with his opposite number in Northern Ireland, Minister Caral Ni Chuilin. This meeting should take place in early February.
– Martin McAleese indicated that he had accepted the Minister’s invitation to join the Taoiseach’s Centenary Committee.
– Minister Deenihan accepted the need for events in Dublin and was very open to suggestions that the Committee would make about the nature of such events.
6. Meeting with Julian King:
Martin McAleese reported that he had spoken to Julian King and that he had agreed to meet the committee members with officials from the Northern Ireland Office on Monday 30 January 2012 at Stormont House.
7. Centenary of the 1912 Balmoral Parade:
The committee noted that the date for this commemoration was changed from Saturday, 12 May 2012 to Saturday 19 May 2012. The commemoration would take place in the Ormeau Park, Belfast from 12noon to 6.00pm. It was expected that between 35,000 and 45,000 people would attend the event. The Committee also noted that an open event had been arranged for the same venue on Friday, 18 May from 6.00pm to 10.00pm and that funding had been sourced from the Heritage Lottery Fund for both events.
Concerns were again expressed about how the routes to and from these events would be safeguarded and stewarded.
There were issues around policing that needed to be clarified particularly in relation to costs and manpower requirements.
Finally, the question of the organising committees and the funders’ responsibilities in regard to these issues were discussed and grave concerns were expressed that the implications of organising such an event had not been fully thought through.
8. Any Other Business:
(i) It was noted that the Ulster Defence Association intended to celebrate its 40th
Anniversary on Saturday 12 May 2012.
(ii) Professor Wesley Hutchinson conveyed an invitation to the Committee from the Department of Irish Studies at the Sorbonne offering to help the work of the Committee in any way – inviting the Committee to make a presentation to the Department or by using the Department as a safe place for dialogue.
(iii) It was agreed that Martin McAleese would arrange for the Committee to meet with:
(a) Pat Colgan, Chief Executive of the Special European Union Programmes Body
(b) Chief Constable, Matt Baggot and Assistant Chief Constable, Drew Harris.
(iv) Martin McAleese indicated that he was meeting with the President of the GAA on 8th February 2012 to explore how the GAA could contribute to the success of the forthcoming Decade of Centenaries. Any suggestions from the Committee as to how the GAA could achieve this would be welcome.
Next Meeting: To be advised
There being no further business the Meeting then concludedutchinson convoyed an invitation to the Committee from the Department of