Visiting Leonard L. Milberg ’52 Professor in Irish Letter Fintan O’Toole delivers the Robert Fagles Memorial Lecture, “Uneasy Peace: The Good Friday Agreement 25 Years On.”
In his lecture, O’Toole examines Ireland since the Good Friday Agreement, which was signed on April 10, 1998. The Good Friday Agreement, also known as the Belfast Agreement, was a political deal designed to bring an end to 30 years of violent conflict in Northern Ireland, known as the Troubles. The agreement established three “strands” of administrative relationships: the creation of the Northern Ireland Assembly, an elected assembly responsible for local matters; an arrangement for cross-border cooperation between the governments of Ireland and Northern Ireland; and continued consultation between the British and Irish governments. Over the past 25 years, the deal has touched on every aspect of life in Northern Ireland.
O’Toole will explore the success of the deal, not just in ending the conflict, but in radically reimagining “the Irish question.” He will suggest that it contains the seeds of a much more open and pluralist sense of identity—one that has been undermined by Brexit and the difficulties it creates for Northern Ireland. He will consider whether the promise of a more fluid sense of belonging can be sustained in the coming years.
O’Toole’s books on politics include the recent best sellers We Don’t Know Ourselves: A Personal History of Modern Ireland and Heroic Failure: Brexit and the Politics of Pain. His books on theater include works on William Shakespeare, George Bernard Shaw, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, and Thomas Murphy. He regularly contributes to The New York Review of Books, The New Yorker, Granta, The Guardian, The Observer, and other international publications. In 2011, The Observer named O’Toole one of “Britain’s top 300 intellectuals.” He has received the A.T. Cross Award for Supreme Contribution to Irish Journalism, the Millennium Social Inclusion Award, Journalist of the Year in 2010, the Orwell Prize, and the European Press Prize. O’Toole’s History of Ireland in 100 Objects, which covers 100 highly charged artifacts from the last 10,000 years, is currently the basis for Ireland’s postage stamps. He has recently been appointed official biographer of Nobel Prize-winning poet Seamus Heaney.
About Fintan O’Toole
Fintan O’Toole, one of Ireland’s leading public intellectuals, is a columnist for The Irish Times and Leonard L. Milberg ’53 visiting lecturer in Irish Letters at Princeton. He also contributes to The New York Review of Books, The New Yorker, Granta, The Guardian, The Observer, and other international publications. His books on theater include works on William Shakespeare, George Bernard Shaw, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, and Thomas Murphy. His books on politics include the bestsellers We Don’t Know Ourselves: A Personal History of Modern Ireland; Heroic Failure: Brexit and the Politics of Pain; Ship of Fools; and Enough is Enough. In 2011, The Observer named O’Toole one of “Britain’s top 300 intellectuals.” He has received the A.T. Cross Award for Supreme Contribution to Irish Journalism, the Millennium Social Inclusion Award, and Journalist of the Year in 2010, the Orwell Prize and the European Press Prize. O’Toole’s History of Ireland in 100 Objects, which covers 100 highly charged artifacts from the last 10,000 years, is currently the basis for Ireland’s postage stamps. He has recently been appointed official biographer of Nobel Prize-winning poet Seamus Heaney.
Tickets & Details
The lecture is free and open to the public. No advance tickets or registration required.
Get directions and find venue information for the James Stewart Film Theater at 185 Nassau Street.
COVID-19 Guidance + Updates
Per Princeton University policy, all visitors are expected to be either fully vaccinated, have recently received and prepared to show proof of a negative COVID test (via PCR within 72 hours or via rapid antigen within 8 hours of the scheduled visit), or agree to wear a face covering when indoors and around others.
Accessibility
The James Stewart Film Theater is wheelchair accessible. Visit our Venues and Studios section for accessibility information at our various locations. Guests in need of access accommodations are invited to contact the Lewis Center at 609-258-5262 or email LewisCenter@princeton.edu at least one week in advance of the event date.
