The National Concert Hall and ARINS Project Present Landmark Debate: 'For and Against a United Ireland' with Fintan O’Toole & Sam McBride on Sunday 30 November 7.30pm

• NCH Talks: Fintan O'Toole & Sam McBride 'For and Against a United Ireland'
• National Concert Hall
• Sunday 30 November 7.30pm
• Tickets: €20 (Book & Ticket Bundle €35) www.nch.ie  

DUBLIN – The National Concert Hall (NCH), in collaboration with the ARINS project (Analysing and Researching Ireland North and South), the Royal Irish Academy and Notre Dame University, is proud to present a landmark public event, 'For and Against a United Ireland' on 30 November 2025 at 7.30pm.  

This timely and thought-provoking discussion, as part of ‘NCH Talks' series features two of the island’s most respected journalists and commentators: Fintan O’Toole and Sam McBride who will each present their arguments for and against a united Ireland.  

As talk of Irish unification grows in political and public discourse—more seriously than at any point since partition in 1921 —this live event offers audiences a rare opportunity to hear a direct, balanced and respectful dialogue between opposing perspectives. Voters on both sides of the Irish border may have to confront for themselves what the answer to a referendum question would mean – for them personally, for their neighbours, and for their society. Key questions shaping this critical national conversation centre on: What would a united Ireland look like? Could it truly benefit all its citizens? Is it achievable without division or conflict? What do the words ‘united Ireland’ even mean? 

Few certitudes are stronger than the beliefs of those who aspire to either Irish unity or the continuation of Northern Ireland within the Union. Those passions are informed by centuries of history, by kinship, by family loyalty and by sincere belief that either Union or unity would be better. 

Fintan O’Toole, acclaimed author and journalist and Sam McBride, Northern Ireland Editor of the Belfast Telegraph and Sunday Independent, will set out the facts as they are now, seeking to prompt you to ask questions of both sides, and of yourself. The conversation will be based on the forthcoming publication of For and Against a United Ireland (Royal Irish Academy, 2025), a book of four parts, in which the two authors, separately discuss the arguments for and against Irish unification.  

This event is presented by the NCH and the ARINS project, which facilitates informed and inclusive discussion about the future of the island of Ireland. The ARINS project is a collaboration of the Royal Irish Academy and the University of Notre Dame.  

Signed copies of For and Against a United Ireland by Fintan O'Toole and Sam McBride will be available for sale.  

NCH Talks 

Fintan O’Toole & Sam McBride: For and Against a United Ireland.  

Sunday 30th November 7.30pm  

National Concert Hall.  

For more see here

Tickets: for NCH Talk are €20. On Sale, Monday 30 June 10am from www.nch.ie  (NCH Talk Event Ticket and book bundle: €35)  

Media Queries: Sinead Doyle, Marketing & PR Manager or Roisin Dwyer, PR & Publications Executive, National Concert Hall, Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2. (S. Doyle Tel: 087 1775334 / R. Dwyer 085 7129628  

ENDS 

About the National Concert Hall            

The National Concert Hall (NCH) is Ireland’s national cultural institution for music, proudly serving the Irish public since it opened in 1981 through live music performances and significant educational and cultural programmes. Based in the heart of Dublin’s city centre, next door to the picturesque Iveagh Gardens, the NCH is proud home to our  National Symphony Orchestra, as well as providing residence for a range of other music organisations including Chamber Choir Ireland, Irish Baroque Orchestra, Music Network, Crash Ensemble and Music Generation. It is currently planning for a major redevelopment of all facilities as part of the National Development Plan and Project Ireland 2040. 

 

PREASRÁITEAS 27 Meitheamh 2025 

 

An Ceoláras Náisiúnta agus Tionscadal ARINS ag Cur i Láthair Díospóireacht: “Ar son agus i gcoinne Éireann Aontaithe” le Fintan O’Toole & Sam McBride  

 

• NCH Talks: Fintan O'Toole & Sam McBride 'For and Against a United Ireland'
• An Ceoláras Náisiúnta      
  
• Dé Domhnaigh 30 Samhain, 7.30 i.n. | Ceoláras Náisiúnta |  
• Ticéid: €20 (Beart Leabhar & Ticéad €35) www.nch.ie  

 

 BAILE ÁTHA CLIATH – Tá áthas ar Cheoláras Náisiúnta na hÉireann (NCH), i gcomhar le tionscadal ARINS (Analysing and Researching Ireland North and South), Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann agus Ollscoil Notre Dame, ócáid phoiblí cheannródaíoch a chur i láthair: 'Ar son agus i gcoinne Éireann Aontaithe' ar an 30 Samhain 2025 ag 7.30 i.n.  

Mar chuid de shraith ‘NCH Talks’, beidh an phlé thráthúil agus machnamhach seo á cur i láthair ag beirt de na hiriseoirí agus tráchtaireoirí is measúla ar oileán na hÉireann: Fintan O’Toole agus Sam McBride, a chuirfidh a gcuid argóintí ar son agus i gcoinne Éireann Aontaithe i láthair.  

De réir mar atá cainteanna faoi aontú na hÉireann ag dul i bhfeidhm níos mó ar an bplé polaitiúil agus poiblí—níos dáiríre ná ag aon tráth ó scaradh na hÉireann sa bhliain 1921—cuireann an ócáid bheo seo deis uathúil ar fáil don lucht féachana éisteacht le díospóireacht dhíreach, chothrom agus mheasúil idir dearcadh amháin agus a mhalairt.  B’fhéidir go mbeidh ar vótálaithe ar an dá thaobh den teorainn in Éirinn aghaidh a thabhairt orthu féin ar a gciallaíonn freagra ar cheist reifrinn – dóibh go pearsanta, dá gcomharsana, agus dá sochaí. Ceisteanna lárnacha atá ag múnlú na comhráite náisiúnta criticiúla seo: Cén chuma a bheadh ar Éire Aontaithe? An bhféadfadh sí leas a bhaint amach do chách dá saoránaigh?  An féidir léi tarlú gan deighilt ná coimhlint? Cad is brí leis na focail ‘Éire Aontaithe’? 

Is beag cinnteacht is láidre ná creideamh na ndaoine atá ag iarraidh ceachtar de aontas na hÉireann nó leanúnachas Thuaisceart Éireann laistigh den Aontas. Tá na paisean sin fréamhaithe i gcéadta bliain staire, i ngaolmhaireacht, i ndílseacht teaghlaigh agus sa chreideamh dáiríre go mbeadh ceachtar an tAontas nó an tAontas Éireannach níos fearr. 

Cuirfidh Fintan O’Toole, údar agus iriseoir a bhfuil ardmholadh faighte aige, agus Sam McBride, Eagarthóir Thuaisceart Éireann an Belfast Telegraph agus an Sunday Independent, na fíricí mar atá romhainn, chun fiosracht a spreagadh ionat faoin dá thaobh – agus ionat féin. Beidh an comhrá bunaithe ar an leabhar atá le foilsiú go luath, For and Against a United Ireland (Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann, 2025), leabhar i gceithre chuid ina bpléann an bheirt údair, go neamhspleách, na hargóintí ar son agus i gcoinne aontaithe na hÉireann.   

Tugtar an ócáid seo chun críche ag an NCH agus ag tionscadal ARINS, a éascaíonn plé feasach agus cuimsitheach faoin todhchaí atá i ndán d’oileán na hÉireann. Is comhoibriú idir Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann agus Ollscoil Notre Dame é tionscadal ARINS.  

Beidh cóipeanna sínithe de For and Against a United Ireland  le Fintan  O’Toole agus Sam McBride ar díol.  

NCH Talks 

Fintan O’Toole & Sam McBride: Ar son agus i gcoinne Éireann Aontaithe. 

Dé Domhnaigh 30ú Samhain 7.30 i.n.  

Ceoláras Náisiúnta.  

Ticéid: Tá ticéid do NCH Talk ar fáil ar €20. Ar díol ó Luan 30 Meitheamh ag 10r.n. ó www.nch.ie (Beart Ticéad agus Leabhar don ócáid NCH Talk: €35)  

Ceisteanna ó na Meáin: Sinead Doyle, Bainisteoir Margaíochta & PR nó Roisin Dwyer, Feidhmeannach PR & Foilseachán, An Ceoláras Náisiúnta, Ardán Phort an Iarla, Baile Átha Cliath 2. (S. Doyle Teil: 087 1775334 / R. Dwyer 085 712962

 

CRÍOCH 

 

Faoin gCeoláras Náisiúnta      

Tá an Ceoláras Náisiúnta (CN) institiúid chultúrtha náisiúnta na hÉireann don cheol, a fhreastalaíonn go bródúil ar phobal na hÉireann ó osclaíodh é i 1981 trí thaibhithe ceoil beo agus cláir shuntasacha oideachais agus chultúrtha. Lonnaithe i gcroílár Bhaile Átha Cliath, agus béal dorais le Gairdíní Uíbh Eachach, tá an CN bródúil as ár gCeolfhoireann Shiansach Náisiúnta, chomh maith le háit chónaithe a chur ar fáil do réimse eagraíochtaí ceoil eile lena n-áirítear Cór Aireagail Éireann, Ceolfhoireann Bharócach na hÉireann, Music Network, Crash Ensemble agus Music Generation. Tá sé i gceist faoi láthair athfhorbairt mór á dhéanamh ar na háiseanna go léir mar chuid den Phlean Forbartha Náisiúnta agus de Thionscadal Éireann 2040.