A new documentary on Nobel Prize-winning Northern Irish politician John Hume includes archival material housed in the University鈥檚 John J. Burns Library.
鈥淚n the Name of Peace: John Hume in America,鈥 which premiered at the Boston Film Festival, traces Hume鈥檚 efforts to enlist prominent U.S. politicians 鈥 including BC alumnus Thomas P. 鈥淭ip鈥 O鈥橬eill Jr. 鈥 in securing a peaceful solution to the conflict in Northern Ireland. Directed by Maurice Fitzpatrick and narrated by actor Liam Neeson, with music by 鈥淩iverdance鈥 composer Bill Whelan, the film includes interviews with former presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, British ex-prime ministers Tony Blair and Sir John Major and pop star/activist Bono, among others.
Now retired from politics, Hume was a major figure in the Northern Irish civil rights movement and became Northern Ireland鈥檚 leading Catholic politician. In 1998, Hume was named co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize with Unionist leader David Trimble, who worked with Hume to forge the Good Friday Agreement.
Hume has had extensive ties with Boston College, which awarded him an honorary Doctor of Laws degree at the 1995 Commencement Exercises, where he addressed the graduating class. In 1980, the Eire Society of Boston presented Hume with its annual Gold Medal.
In a recent interview, Fitzpatrick said the intention behind 鈥淚n the Name of Peace鈥 is to examine what he felt was an underappreciated chapter of Hume鈥檚 life.
鈥淎s we approach the 20th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, it鈥檚 important to remember the critical role John Hume played in the process, and how much of a vital figure he is in Anglo-Irish history.聽
鈥淚t鈥檚 also important to realize that Hume created a new consciousness in the U.S., and I think his experiences in Boston 鈥 where he met Irish politicians in positions of great power like Tip O鈥橬eill and Edward Kennedy 鈥 were quite important in that regard.鈥澛 聽
Fitzpatrick found there was little source material about Hume鈥檚 outreach to the US. But through his past experience with Boston College 鈥 in 2010, he launched a US lecture tour for his documentary 鈥淭he Boys of St. Columb鈥檚鈥 through BC鈥檚 Center for Irish Programs 鈥 Fitzpatrick knew the Burns Library鈥檚 rare books and special collections would likely have what he wanted.
Sure enough, Fitzpatrick found a number of Hume-related items in the Thomas P. O鈥橬eill Jr. Congressional Papers, and the archive of Northern Irish photographer Bobby Hanvey. These included correspondence between O鈥橬eill and his chief of staff Kirk O鈥橠onnell about meetings with Hume, and statements by Hume on the death of imprisoned Irish hunger-strikers in 1981, as well as various candid and formal photos of Hume.
The materials not only contributed to the film鈥檚 narrative but also its visuals: Fitzpatrick and his crew spent the better part of a day in the library鈥檚 O鈥橞rien Fine Print Room setting up and taking footage of the items.
鈥淚t was a pleasure to work with the Burns staff,鈥 said Fitzpatrick. 鈥淭hey were helpful and attentive to our needs, and we were able to get important work done.鈥
Burns Librarian Christian Dupont said Fitzpatrick鈥檚 project 鈥 while one of the more high-profile uses of its resources 鈥 is among many the library handles in a given year.聽
鈥淏urns Library assists everyone from undergraduates to international scholars to filmmakers and other artists,鈥 he said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e glad to have played a part in helping the world learn more about John Hume鈥檚 leadership and contribution to peace in Northern Ireland. I hope that Maurice鈥檚 documentary will inspire greater multi-party and multilateral dialogue on compelling social and political issues.鈥
Boston College historian Robert Savage, a specialist on Northern Ireland and Irish media, welcomed the release of 鈥淚n the Name of Peace,鈥 which he said offered an opportunity to reaffirm Hume鈥檚 links with BC. Hume has spoken several times on campus, including at the University鈥檚 1997 Laetare Sunday Communion Breakfast, and in the late 1990s lectured as a visiting professor of history.
鈥淛ohn was a regular visitor to my course A History of Northern Ireland,鈥 recalled Savage. 鈥淗e would come to Boston for a week and visit the class to talk about his experience in Northern Ireland. He usually addressed his involvement in the campaign for civil rights and his interactions with US political leaders like Reagan, Clinton, Bush, Ted Kennedy, Hugh Carey, Daniel Patrick Moynihan and Tip O鈥橬eill.聽
鈥淚 believe that he is the one person most responsible for the Good Friday Agreement and I鈥檓 delighted his story is being told in this new film.鈥澛
A screening of 鈥淚n the Name of Peace: John Hume in America鈥 and a panel discussion will take place at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum on Oct. 10 at 6 p.m.聽
鈥揝ean Smith / University Communications