Join the Greater Columbus Irish Cultural Foundation and the Mershon Center for a public roundtable discussion and Q&A on Irish Unity: Opportunities and Practical Challenges to Unification. Doors open at 6:30pm, program begins at 7:00pm.
The issue of Unification of Northern Ireland with the Republic of Ireland has garnered increased interest over the past several years. Polling conducted in Ireland has revealed that support for unification is on the rise on both sides of the border. Nonetheless, the question of Irish unity is mixed. On October 21, 2025, Dail Eireann agreed to a resolution calling upon the Irish government to initiate government led planning and preparation for unification should referenda be called in Northern Ireland and the Republic under the terms of the 1998 Good Friday-Belfast Agreement. On November 11, 2025, The Republic of Ireland elected a new President, Catherine Connolly, who advocated for the unification of Ireland with a process that is inclusive, open, and considers the traditions of all communities living on the island. The roundtable participants will explore the opportunities and practical challenges related to the unification of Ireland. Key topics will include community reconciliation, the development of governmental and civic frameworks for potential referenda, the inclusion of all traditions on the island of Ireland, and the political dynamics in the ongoing unification debate.
Roundtable:
Andrée Murphy, Deputy Director of Relatives for Justice (Belfast)
Ms. Murphy is the Deputy Director of Relatives for Justice, a national victim support NGO which provides advocacy and therapeutic support for the bereaved and injured of the conflict. Holding a master’s degree in international human rights law, Andrée's expertise and research on women affected by conflict trauma has seen her provide evidence to the United Nations in Geneva and to Congressional hearings in the United States. Ms. Murphy also serves as a board member on Ireland’s Future, an organization committed to working, in harmony and friendship, with people of different identities to help achieve a new and united Ireland based on the principles of inclusion, fairness and respect. Andrée is a columnist for Belfast Media Group and is a regular contributor to broadcast media, providing political analysis and commentary.
Martin Galvin, National Chair of Freedom for all Ireland, Ancient Order of Hibernians
Mr. Galvin is a prominent figure in the Irish-American community and known for his activism. Mr. Galvin serves as the National Freedom-for-all-Ireland Chairman of the Ancient Order of Hibernians. He has been involved in various political and social causes, particularly related to Irish nationalism. Mr. Galvin served as the spokesperson for The Irish Northern Aid Committee, raising financial donations for the families of interned republican prisoners. He has been a featured guest on ABC’s “Nightline”, NBC’s “Today”, CNN, PBS as well as Irish, and British television networks. He is featured in the RTÉ documentary NORAID: Irish America and the IRA. He is a former Bronx Assistant District Attorney and Assigned Counsel. He has worked with clients on immigration and civil rights cases and now primarily concentrates his legal practice on criminal law. Mr. Galvin is also recognized for his contributions to the media, including writing and broadcasting. Mr. Galvin was the Editor of the IRISH PEOPLE Weekly Newspaper from 1979 to 1994. He has testified as an expert witness on the MacBride Principles legislation and other Irish issues before Congress and the State Legislatures of Ohio, New York, Illinois, Connecticut, and New Jersey. He has also testified before many city councils including the Cleveland city Council.
Judge Michael C. Mentel, Ohio Court of Appeals, Tenth District
Judge Michael C. Mentel is an appellate court judge on the Ohio Court of Appeals for the Tenth District. Notably, Judge Mentel participated in the roundtable discussion at the National Committee on American Foreign Policy in New York on the proposed Legacy Bill introduced in the British Parliament. Among the participants were then Irish Consul General, Helena Nolan, then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office, Lord Jonathan Caine, National Ancient Order of Hibernians Chair for Freedom for all Ireland, Martin Galvin, and Former Ambassador Susan M. Elliott, as moderator, among several others. Judge Mentel has given presentations on the 1981 Irish hunger strike in several cities including Cleveland, Ohio, Columbus, Ohio, as well as in New York, New York, speaking before both the Brehon Law Society and the New York City Bar Association. Judge Mentel has offered his perspectives on the present state of Irish unification to multiple local and state Irish American groups, as well as on Irish radio shows, making a meaningful contribution to the national conversation on the subject. He has also moderated speaking programs featuring notable speakers from Ireland. He is the author of The 1981 Irish Hunger Strike: An Account from Declassified British Documents and is a monthly columnist for iIrish newsmagazine. Judge Mentel has also contributed to other publications writing on contemporary legal and political issues impacting Ireland.
Dr. Teri Murphy, Mershon Center for International Security Studies
Dr. Murphy is the Associate Director for Peacebuilding Research at the Mershon Center for International Security Studies at The Ohio State University. She has been actively engaged in conflict intervention and peacebuilding in several international contexts for the past 30 years. As a scholar, her primary research interests concentrate on the dynamic interaction between peace processes, transitional justice, political and social reconciliation, and peace. In her role as a practitioner, Teri has most recently been supporting local/traditional peace and reconciliation efforts in conflict-affected settings including Colombia, Northern Ireland, the Basque Country, Nepal, Burundi, and Turkey/Syria. She has worked extensively alongside communities in transition with a focus on ritual, reintegration, and social healing. She serves as a consultant, educator, and facilitator for governments, multinational-private, public, and non-profit organizations in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia.