Northern Ireland Centenary Forum meets for first time

Boris Johnson discussed NI's centenary with Michelle O'Neill and Arlene Foster at Hillsborough Castle last month

The first session of a forum announced by Boris Johnson to help commemorate Northern Ireland's centenary has taken place via video conference.

It was chaired by senior NI Office (NIO) civil servants and included a range of community representatives.

The five main parties were invited to take part but it is understood only the DUP, UUP and Alliance attended.

Civil servants said it was their understanding nationalists wanted to play a role in 1921 commemorations.

While neither Sinn Féin nor the SDLP participated in the forum's first session, a NIO official told those present both nationalist parties would be welcome to get involved.

Sinn Féin's Declan Kearney says his party had "declined the invitation to take part in the centenary panel to be established by the British government" and he had made that clear to NI Secretary Brandon Lewis.

"There is nothing to celebrate about the lived experiences of republicans, nationalists and democrats in the northern state," he added.

'Mugs and cushions'

The Orange Order was invited to the meeting and was represented by the Rev Mervyn Gibson.

Members of business, tourism and community groups were also present at the two-hour remote meeting of the NI Centenary Forum.

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Members of the forum include DUP MP Gavin Robinson, Ulster Unionist MLA Doug Beattie and Alliance Party MP Stephen Farry.

Mr Robinson said everyone at the meeting approached it positively.

He said the forum had a "significant amount of work to do" but he looked forward to celebrating the centenary of Northern Ireland next year in an "appropriate and inclusive way".

In the terms of reference of the forum, it is made clear that its role is "advisory only - it is not a decision making body".

The NIO has not released a list of the names of members and has made no comment about Friday's meeting.

A cross-Whitehall centenary working group has also been set up as the government considers its plans for 2021.

The Orange Order is organising a parade to mark the centenary

As well as official events to mark the centenary, other groups are making plans for 2021. The Orange Order is organising a special parade.

A group of pro-union people have also come together to form their own Northern Ireland-wide centenary committee.

They have a produced their own centenary logo and merchandise, including flags, mugs and cushions.

One of the organisers, David Martin, said the centenary was not just an opportunity to celebrate but to educate people about Northern Ireland.

"We make no secret of the fact that we are unionists and we're proud of the union, and proud of the union of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, on this 100th anniversary," he said.

"We feel that it needs to be marked and it needs to be celebrated. And we feel that if people of our culture and heritage don't celebrate it, we don't think others will.

"We do understand, we very much understand, there will be those who won't want to celebrate it."

Northern Ireland was created in 1921 following the partition of Ireland.