News 2012: Irish statesman, former prisoner Martin Ferris to speak Tuesday at UMass Dartmouth

News 2012: Irish statesman, former prisoner Martin Ferris to speak Tuesday at UMass Dartmouth
Irish statesman, former prisoner Martin Ferris to speak Tuesday at UMass Dartmouth

Irish member of parliament to talk about the future of Irish reunification

Martin Ferris TD, a former member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), later peace negotiator of the Good Friday Accord and current member of the Irish parliament, is presenting "Uniting Ireland: The Way Forward" at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth on Tuesday, November 13th at 6 p.m. in the Claire T. Carney Library Grand Reading Room. This is Mr. Ferris's second visit to campus, and first in more than a dozen years. 

Few individuals are better equipped to discuss the possibility of the politicial reunification of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland than Ferris, who was part of the Sinn Féin party's negotiating team that ended the Troubles in Northern Ireland with the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. 

Prior to turning to peaceful means, he lived a life committed to the cause of "physical-force" republicanism to reunify Ireland. During this time, he was imprisoned in the Republic of Ireland for membership in the IRA, and went on a 47-day hunger strike to protest prison conditions. 

Since 2002, he has served as a Teachta Dála (TD) -- member of the Irish parliament, or Dáil -- for Kerry North--West Limerick. He is the party's spokesman on agriculture, fisheries, natural resources and labor relations. 

**The presentation is free and open to the public.** 

DETAILS 

WHAT 
Martin Ferris TD talk: "Uniting Ireland: The Way Forward" 

WHERE 
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth 
Claire T. Carney Library Grand Reading Room 

WHEN 
Tuesday, November 13th 
6:00 p.m.