In Pictures: Good Friday Agreement anniversary events
Former Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams (left) with Peter Robinson during the gala dinner at Hillsborough Castle, Co Down. Picture by Charles McQuillan/PA Wire
The great and the good, and one might argue some of the not so great and good, gathered in Belfast to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.
Last night's gala dinner at Hillsborough Castle, Co Down featured one of the most significant audiences in Northern Ireland’s history, including four former prime ministers, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, three former Taoisigh and former US president Bill Clinton.
It followed a major three-day conference at the Queen’s University in Belfast.
The gathering came as the Stormont Assembly remains effectively collapsed due to a DUP boycott. The party is calling for action from the UK government over its concerns around the Brexit protocol.
(Left-right) Hillary Clinton, Former US president Bill Clinton, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Akshata Murthy and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar following the international conference to mark the 25th anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement,
DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, as well as his predecessors Dame Arlene Foster and Peter Robinson, and Sinn Féin president Mary-Lou McDonald and vice president Michelle O’Neill were among the guests at the dinner.
Former prime minister Sir Tony drew laughter as he playfully started his address to the dinner with a famous quote of his from 1998: “Tonight is not a night for soundbites. Fortunately the hand of history is firmly on someone else’s shoulder.”
He reflected on the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement and said it only happened because leaders took risks and ventured from a place of comfort to create change.
From left: Akshata Murty, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, former US president Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar after the international conference to mark the 25th anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement (Niall Carson/PA)
“Tonight we mark it with honour but I can tell you, 25 years ago, this agreement only happened because leaders were prepared to put their leadership in peril for the good of their people,” he said.
Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern responded to warm comments from Sir Tony, saying he had never believed a British prime minister would take Ireland as seriously as the former PM did.
He highlighted how they had agreed to “rigorous impartiality” as the two governments in the 1990s negotiations.
Last week, US President Joe Biden's four-day visit to Ireland, starting in Belfast and finishing in Dublin with stops in Counties Louth and Mayo along the way.
(front row left to right) Former Irish diplomat Tim O'Connor, Queen's University Vice-Chancellor Prof Ian Greer, Senator George Mitchell and his wife Heather MacLachlan, former US President Bill Clinton and former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former taoiseach Bertie Ahern, former TD Liz O'Donnell, former Secretary of State Lord Murphy, Prof Jonathan Powell, former PUP leader Dawn Purvis and Ryan Feeney of QUB, (back row left to right) Deputy Lieutenant for Belfast Jane Wells, former Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams, former Deputy First Minister Mark Durkan, former Women's Coalition leader Monica McWilliams, Lord Reg Empey, Lord Alderdice, former UDP leader Gary McMichael, DUP MP Ian Paisley Jnr and QUB Professor Richard English during a photocall on the steps of the Lanyon Buildings at Queen's University Belfast during an event marking the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement
The US President met Prime Minister Rishi Sunak earlier today and then the leaders of the main political parties.
After delivering a keynote speech at the new Ulster University campus in Belfast Joe Biden left the city to travel to the Republic
Emma Little-Pengelly attending the three-day international conference at Queen’s University Belfast to mark the 25th anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement (Niall Carson/PA) Former prime minister Sir Tony Blair and former taoiseach Bertie Ahern were leaders at the time of the Good Friday Agreement (Liam McBurney/PA) Sir Tony Blair, former US president Bill Clinton and former taoiseach Bertie Ahern have been among those taking part in a conference to mark the anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement (Niall Carson/PA) Ian Paisley Jr on stage during the three-day international conference at Queen’s University Belfast to mark the 25th anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement (Niall Carson/PA) (left to right) Former US president Bill Clinton, Senator George Mitchell, Hillary Clinton and former taoiseach Bertie Ahern, attending the three-day international conference at Queen's University Belfast to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. Picture by Liam McBurney/PA Wire Senator George Mitchell stands beside a newly unveiled bust of himself by visual artist Colin Davidson, during the three-day international conference at Queen's University Belfast to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. Picture by Liam McBurney/PA Wire (left to right) Former senator George Mitchell and his wife Heather MacLachlan, former US president Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary, former prime minister Tony Blair, Professor Ian Greer President and Vice-Chancellor of Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) and Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris, at the unveiling of a bust for the former senator, during the three-day international conference at Queen’s University Belfast to mark the 25th anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. Picture date: Monday April 17, 2023. Sir Tony Blair and former US president Bill Clinton on stage during the three-day international conference at Queen’s University Belfast to mark the 25th anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement (Niall Carson/PA) US President Joe Biden delivered a keynote speech in Belfast marking the anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement (Aaron Chown/PA) Prime Minister Rishi Sunak delivers a speech during a gala dinner at Hillsborough Castle, Co Down, at the end of the international conference marking the 25th anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement (Charles McQuillan/PA) President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, speaks during the international conference to mark the 25th anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement (Niall Carson/PA) Former US president Bill Clinton, steps on to the stage to speak during the international conference to mark the 25th anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, at Queen’s University Belfast (Niall Carson/PA) Former first minister Dame Arlene Foster arrives for a gala dinner at Hillsborough Castle, Co Down, at the end of the international conference Labour leader Keir Starmer, arrives for a gala dinner at Hillsborough Castle European Commission Vice-President for Interinstitutional Relations and Foresight Maros Sefcovic (left) greets Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris Peter Mandelson arrives for a gala diner at Hillsborough Castle, Co Down, Sir Jeffery Donaldson (left), leader of the DUP and Peter Robinson arrive for a gala diner Mark Simpson and Alliance Party leader Naomi Long attending the three-day international conference at Queen's University Belfast to mark the 25th anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. Gerry Adams listening to speakers Loyalist Jamie Bryson pictured with former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern at QUB's Agreement 25 conference on Tuesday. Picture: Jamie Bryson/Twitter Sinn Fein Party leader Mary Lou McDonald attending the three-day international conference at Queen's University Belfast Tim Wheeler of Ash performs the song Shining Light, dedicated to Lyra McKee on the anniversary of her murder, before former US president Bill Clinton gives a speech at a posthumous tribute for two of the main architects of the Good Friday Agreement, the late John Hume and former first minister of Northern Ireland David Trimble, in the Guildhall in Londonderry. A pre recorded video of Bono
