25 Pieces: The history and horror on the road to Good Friday 1998 and beyond

This initiative is being carried out by CCBS in collaboration with Brian Rowan, author and former BBC Security Correspondent, and the Creative Holywood Festival to mark the 25th Anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. The project will help us understand the ongoing journey of the Good Friday Agreement, and the major moments in the transition from conflict to peace.

Brian Rowan selected 25 pieces from his personal archive which document the journey to the Good Friday Agreement and the negotiations which led to the agreement being signed. The 25 pieces are displayed in a wonderful exhibition and accompanying booklet. They offer an insight into some of the key events and the people involved in a pivotal time in Northern Ireland’s history.

On Thursday 9 March 2023, Brian Rowan was in conversation with former BBC colleague, Mervyn Jess, discussing the pieces and reflecting on the upcoming anniversary. The pair were joined by many in the audience at Holywood Methodist Church who were directly involved and were able to share their own experiences and reflections, including Dawn Purvis, David Kerr and Rev. Harold Good. We also heard from the post-conflict generation, with students from Lagan College explaining their hopes for the next 25 years. Read more here.

25 Pieces will travel for more events throughout the months ahead to allow as many people as possible to experience the archive and the reflections prompted as we mark such an important anniversary.

Recording of the event in Holywood