In November 1966, a public meeting was called to highlight the issue of civil rights in Northern Ireland. This was held in the War Memorial Building in Belfast and the audience was drawn from all sectors of libertarianism in NI.

By January 1967, at Belfast’s International Hotel, the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association (NICRA) elected a 13-person steering committee and 5 broad objectives were issued to the press.

To help us better understand the demands of the civil rights movement I have enlisted the help and expertise of Dr Connal Parr and Dr Anne Devlin; a mother and son combination no less.

Anne is one of Northern Ireland’s most distinctive literary voices, known for her bold contributions to stage, screen and prose. Her work is shaped by early involvement in the Northern Ireland Civil Rights movement and remains a vital part of contemporary Irish literature. At the time of recording, Anne has just been awarded an Honourary Doctorate in Literature from Queen’s University Belfast.

This episode was produced as part of At the Crossroads: The Campaign for Civil Rights in Northern Ireland, a project developed by The Linen Hall. This project is supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs Reconciliation Fund and has also received financial support from the Northern Ireland Community Relations Council.

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