The unrest evident in Loyalist areas during the run up to this year's Twelfth celebrations surprised many in the media but not those who have been conscious of a growing sense of drift and marginalization in that community. Some have pointed to political disillusionment, others to growing social and economic impoverishment and the accumulated effects of a decline in the community's sense of identification with the state and its institutions. Many insiders believe this results from unevenness in the original Belfast and St Andrews Agreements and some believe that we are experiencing another shift in the Peace Process: one that may be positive but also painful.

 

IBIS (Institute for British-Irish Studies, UCD) believes that an informed discussion on the plight of loyalism could make a positive contribution to understanding the issue. We would like you to join a Colloquium on Loyalism, to be held at the Ulster Museum on Wednesday, 5th October, under the Chairmanship of Sir George Quigley. It will be an evening event, starting with registration at 5.30pm. Invited speakers will address the question of the challenges facing loyalist communities in terms of declining educational standards, social stability and political disengagement. We will ask why clear signs of disenchantment often seem to be ignored by the political, academic and media establishments. Where now the 'shared future'?