After the cacophony of noise emitted by the news over the last year; COVID, Brexit or the political chaos that emerged from up on the hill, there may be many people who let out a collective groan as they are reminded that this year is the centenary of the creation of Northern Ireland, a polity that is still disputed to varying degrees even 100 years later.

2021 marks 100 years since Northern Ireland was formed after the partition of Ireland

What will no doubt be chewed over is how the experience of the last 100 years justifies each political tradition’s case: for the union or for a united Ireland. There will be discussion of dark periods in our history; discrimination, armed struggle, terrorism, state violence, and how much of the past still remains unresolved.

It would be a waste for either community here at Queen’s to spend this year in the same old political echo chambers, when there is a unique opportunity sitting like a Christmas present waiting to be torn open: the chance to re-engage on the constitutional question in a productive and amicable way, especially after the rancour between nationalist and unionist groupings within the university, that have garnered the student body some unsavoury and frankly, petty headlines.

As a unionist, I am not someone who would apologise for saying that I am proud of Northern Ireland and what I believe has been achieved here in 100 years; our contributions to industry, medical research and therapeutics, our ability to punch above our weight in sports and what I believe is a materially better way of life gained from being part of the United Kingdom. Equally, I would not expect nationalists and republicans to apologise in any way for expressing their view of the past 100 years.

Rather than seeing the centenary of Northern Ireland as a means for unionist triumph or nationalist regret, this centenary presents the chance for young people to listen and to better articulate their views on the constitutional position.

There will be discussion forums held by the university as part of the UK Government’s plans to commemorate the Centenary and people of all political creeds and colours to grasp this with both hands. Ultimately, it will be the ideas of our generation that will win-out the future direction of this part of the world.

I think the university could enable students to have these discussions by establishing a Unionism Professor, a specifically funded academic post to conduct research into the contributions of unionism to Northern Ireland. This would go a long way to reassuring unionists that academia is a comfortable environment to voice their contributions throughout history.

This will allow unionists and nationalists alike to learn more about each tradition in an academic setting. It is astonishing that many students still arrive at university without any kind of meaningful exposure to the other community’s culture and without an understanding of the issues that each community cares about. That is not to say that students who are passionate about their political identity should have that diminished, but that an awful lot can be achieved by simply listening and engaging in a respectful debate rather than letting the past or emotion impact it.

It seems fair to say that I have dealt with the wranglings and concerns of the two main political traditions here without much attention given to those who remain neutral on the constitutional question or even those students from elsewhere who do not have a vested interest in Northern Ireland’s political conundrum.

So, any student who has an interest in our country should get involved with the conversations that will surround this centenary year. It is likely that you will come away better informed about the complex question of history and political identity here. To the advantage of political groupings, they too will be able to make more informed arguments regarding the future of Northern Ireland.

Ultimately, it is by looking forward, rather than being prisoners to past battles, that will renew and re-energise political debate. If people jump at this once-in-a-generation chance to bolster our understanding of our complex identities, then I see no reason why we won’t all be richer for it.

Grant Warren is a QUB French and History student with a keen interest in British and International Politics.

OPINION - The Centenary Offers a Chance for Unionist and Nationalist Students to Talk