Civil rights at 40 anniversary programme

As previously blogged, the launch of a programme of events by the Civil Rights 1968 Commemoration Commmittee was held on Thursday evening in Belfast's Linenhall Library.

The 2nd floor was thick with leaders and activists from 40 years ago, including many prominent SDLP figures of recent years (John Hume, Austin Currie, etc), but also a fair sprinkling of those with different political outlooks (Michael Farrell, Trevor Ringland, Francie Molloy and others).

Anyway, in the absence of a currently functioning website from the organisers(it's supposed to be www.civilrights1968.com) to list their programme, I have included brief information below, with events being planned north and south and in England.

Lots of the details are still to be confirmed. Further information available from civilrights1968 [at] yahoo.co.uk

April 15 2008
Lecture: Prof Paul Arthur and Lord Paul Bew (Chair – John Hume), UU Magee

April 23 2008, 7pm
Lecture: Dr Eamon Phoenix and Prof Henry Patterson (Chair – Dennis Haughey), QUB Students' Union

May 2008
Seminar: The role of women in civil rights, East Tyrone College, Dungannon

June 21 2008
Conference: Housing – 40 years on, Armagh City Hotel
Speakers will include Austin Currie, Duncan Morrow, Prof Paddy Hillyard, Margaret Ritchie and Tom Arnold

June 2008
Seminar: Role of Campaign for Democracy and origin of the Troubles, Westminster
In assoc with British Association of Irish Studies

August 23-25 2005
McCluskey Civil Rights Summer School: the civil rights challenges in Ireland today – tackling poverty, racism and inequality. Keynote speaker – Mary Robinson. Carlingford.

September 2008
Seminar: Ireland – an equal society for all. Speakers include Michael Farrell, Austin Currie, Michael Halpenny and Des Geraghty. Liberty Hall, Dublin.

October 4 2008
International conference. Guildhall, L/Derry.

October 8 2008
Lecture: An examination of the Briish response to the civil rights movement in Northern Ireland, by Dr Kevin McNamara. University of Liverpool.

November 2008
Concert. L/Derry.

November 26 2008
Lecture: The civil rights revolution, by Austin Currie. University of Liverpool.

December 2008
Seminar: Civil rights then and now, 1968-2008. Building a new, inclusive society.

Also planned are a series of cross-community forums, schools forums, a commemorative booklet, exhibition and further events in London and Dublin.