About the Writing Peace project
The project, which is funded by the Government of Ireland Reconciliation Fund, aims to foster collaborations between archivists working with collections relating to the conflict and reconciliation process in Northern Ireland. It hopes to agree a common approach to these records, with a view to ensuring their preservation, improving accessibility to researchers and facilitating the use of digital tools to analyse collections.
The role of the National Archives in the Quill project
The National Archives, Dublin, is represented on the project’s steering group, which also has representatives from The National Archives, London, Writing Peace at the University of Oxford, UCD Archives and Special Collections at Queen’s University, Belfast.
The steering group of archivists and researchers are investigating and reporting on archival holdings relating to the conflict and reconciliation process held in both institutional and private sources. It is also exploring primary source material still in private collections, with a view to ensuring their preservation and availability in archives or libraries.
The project will provide a forum for professional development among archivists to agree a common approach in the acquisition, cataloguing and digitisation of these records. Our holdings of records relating to the peace process and the negotiation of the Belfast Good Friday Agreement provides a framework of documentation for the project, which can be supplemented by deposits from private collections.
The records of the Department of the Taoiseach, Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Justice and the Office of the Attorney General are available for public consultation after 20 years, under the National Archives (Amendment) Act, 2018. In January 2025, records will be released at the National Archives dating up to 2004.
The National Archives involvement in this project ensures its records and archival expertise are represented. This collaboration enhances the preservation and accessibility of important historical documents related to the Irish peace process. Additionally, the project offers professional development opportunities for staff and increases the visibility and influence in the use of archives in research.
Get information about Writing Peace: Quill Project
