Abstract
A unique feature of the Northern Ireland conflict is the Northern Ireland Women’s Coalition and their participation in the peace process. The Coalition argued that the violence of the Troubles had to end and women needed to be represented in the process and pursued three principles in their politics that shaped their effectiveness and their contribution to the Belfast or Good Friday Agreement: inclusion, human rights, and equality. They not only proved that women could successfully be elected to this important political position, but they also challenged the “normal” antagonistic politics in Northern Ireland. This chapter concludes with a broader assessment of women’s participation and political activity, arguing that these terms must be more broadly conceived in order to capture women’s contribution to politics.
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- 1.
Lynda Edgerton Walker (Women’s Rights Activist, Instructor, former member of the NIWC), interview with author, August 29, 2012.
- 2.
Avila Kilmurray (Director, Community Foundation for Northern Ireland, former member NIWC), interview with author, September 10, 2012.
- 3.
Bronagh Hinds (Commissioner, Women’s National Commission, former member NIWC), interview with author, November 26, 2012.
- 4.
Two elected parties received fewer votes.
- 5.
May Blood (Baroness of Blackwatertown MBE), interview with author, August 17, 2012.
- 6.
Avila Kilmurray (Director, Community Foundation for Northern Ireland, former member NIWC), interview with author, September 10, 2012.
- 7.
Avila Kilmurray (Director, Community Foundation for Northern Ireland, former member NIWC), interview with author, September 10, 2012.
- 8.
Bronagh Hinds (Commissioner, Women’s National Commission, former member NIWC), interview with author, November 26, 2012.
- 9.
Monica McWilliams (Associate Researcher, Transitional Justice Institute, Chair in Women’s Studies, School of Politics, Criminology and Social Policy, University of Ulster, former Co-Chair NIWC), interview with author, August 8, 2012.
- 10.
Avila Kilmurray (Director, Community Foundation for Northern Ireland, former member NIWC), interview with author, September 10, 2012.
- 11.
Bernadette Devlin McAliskey was a well-known socialist and republican (CRN) radical activist who, at twenty-one, was at that time the youngest woman ever elected to Westminster in 1969 (Coogan 2002).
- 12.
Avila Kilmurray (Director, Community Foundation for Northern Ireland, former member NIWC), interview with author, September 10, 2012.
- 13.
Monica McWilliams (Associate Researcher, Transitional Justice Institute, Chair in Women’s Studies, School of Politics, Criminology and Social Policy, University of Ulster, former Co-Chair NIWC), interview with author, August 8, 2012.
- 14.
Monica McWilliams (Associate Researcher, Transitional Justice Institute, Chair in Women’s Studies, School of Politics, Criminology and Social Policy, University of Ulster, former Co-Chair NIWC), interview with author, August 8, 2012.
- 15.
Bronagh Hinds (Commissioner, Women’s National Commission, former member NIWC), interview with author, November 26, 2012.
- 16.
US Senator George Mitchell was US President Clinton’s Economic Envoy to Northern Ireland who chaired the peace talks.
- 17.
Bronagh Hinds (Commissioner, Women’s National Commission, former member NIWC), interview with author, November 26, 2012.
- 18.
May Blood (Baroness of Blackwatertown MBE), interview with author, August 17, 2012.
- 19.
Monica McWilliams (Associate Researcher, Transitional Justice Institute, Chair in Women’s Studies, School of Politics, Criminology and Social Policy, University of Ulster, former Co-Chair NIWC), interview with author, August 8, 2012.
- 20.
Monica McWilliams (Associate Researcher, Transitional Justice Institute, Chair in Women’s Studies, School of Politics, Criminology and Social Policy, University of Ulster, former Co-Chair NIWC), interview with author, August 8, 2012.
- 21.
Monica McWilliams (Associate Researcher, Transitional Justice Institute, Chair in Women’s Studies, School of Politics, Criminology and Social Policy, University of Ulster, former Co-Chair NIWC), interview with author, August 8, 2012.
- 22.
Monica McWilliams (Associate Researcher, Transitional Justice Institute, Chair in Women’s Studies, School of Politics, Criminology and Social Policy, University of Ulster, former Co-Chair NIWC), interview with author, August 8, 2012.
- 23.
Monica McWilliams (Associate Researcher, Transitional Justice Institute, Chair in Women’s Studies, School of Politics, Criminology and Social Policy, University of Ulster, former Co-Chair NIWC), interview with author, August 8, 2012.
- 24.
Monica McWilliams (Associate Researcher, Transitional Justice Institute, Chair in Women’s Studies, School of Politics, Criminology and Social Policy, University of Ulster, former Co-Chair NIWC), interview with author, August 8, 2012.
- 25.
Monica McWilliams (Associate Researcher, Transitional Justice Institute, Chair in Women’s Studies, School of Politics, Criminology and Social Policy, University of Ulster, former Co-Chair NIWC), interview with author, August 8, 2012.
- 26.
Avila Kilmurray (Director, Community Foundation for Northern Ireland, former member NIWC), interview with author, September 10, 2012.
- 27.
Monica McWilliams (Associate Researcher, Transitional Justice Institute, Chair in Women’s Studies, School of Politics, Criminology and Social Policy, University of Ulster, former Co-Chair NIWC), interview with author, August 8, 2012.
- 28.
Margaret Ward (Director, Women’s Resource and Development Association), interview with author, August 10, 2012.
- 29.
Monica McWilliams (Associate Researcher, Transitional Justice Institute, Chair in Women’s Studies, School of Politics, Criminology and Social Policy, University of Ulster, former Co-Chair NIWC), interview with author, August 8, 2012.
- 30.
May Blood (Baroness of Blackwatertown MBE), interview with author, August 17, 2012.
- 31.
O’Rourke is here talking specifically about dealing with the past but the argument has broader application.
- 32.
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Donahoe, A.E. (2017). The Coalition And The Peace Process. In: Peacebuilding through Women’s Community Development . Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-55194-4_4
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