On the 25-year anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, David Donoghue and Tim O’Connor discuss how it came about.

In this month’s podcast, host Rory Montgomery—no stranger to the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement negotiations—is joined by two former colleagues from the Department of Foreign Affairs: David Donoghue and Tim O'Connor.

Rory’s guests share their recollections of the negotiations that culminated in the signing of the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement twenty-five years ago this week. They reflect on the foundation, formulation and implementation of the agreement, allowing us to glean an invaluable insight into the challenges faced by the civil servants involved, and their capacity and creativity in drafting and delivering the agreement and the peace process.

David Donoghue was part of the Anglo Irish division at the Department of Foreign Affairs, joint secretary of the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental conference and author of "One Good Day” (Gill Press) his account of the Good Friday talks. David was at different times, Ireland’s ambassador to Russia, Austria and Germany and from 2013-2017, Ireland’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and instrumental in the creation of the Strategic Development Goals.

Tim O’Connor is a former official of the Department of Foreign Affairs, having served 28 years from 1979-2007 and was part of the Anglo-Irish team, inaugural Joint Secretary of the North/South Ministerial Council in Armagh from 1999-2005; Consul General of Ireland in New York from 2005-2007 and Secretary General to President McAleese from 2007-2010, and instrumental in getting the North South institutions launched in December 1999. He is currently part of the Irish government’s independent reporting commission on paramilitaries.

This is episode 21 of a podcast series that provides evidence-based research and analysis on the most significant questions of policy and public debate facing the island of Ireland, north and south.

Host Rory Montgomery, MRIA, talks to authors of articles on topics such as cross border health co-operation; the need to regulate social media in referendums, education, cultural affairs and constitutional questions and the imperative for good data and the need to carry out impartial research.

ARINS: Analysing and Researching Ireland North and South brings together experts to provide evidence-based research and analysis on the most significant questions of policy and public debate facing the island of Ireland, north and south. The project publishes, facilitates and disseminates research on the challenges and opportunities presented to the island in a post-Brexit context, with the intention of contributing to an informed public discourse. More information can be found at www.arinsproject.com.

ARINS is a joint project of The Royal Irish Academy, an all-island body, and the Keough-Naughton Institute for Irish Studies at Notre Dame's Keough School of Global Affairs.