Summary of the impact

In Northern Ireland the display of symbols in public spaces has remained a highly contested and consistent cause of public disorder. The research outlined in this case study is a leading Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister Indicator for effective policies on community relations. Impact is evidenced through the research in five ways. It has (i) altered government policies; (ii) enhanced broader democratic participation in local government debates; (iii) increased conflict resolution opportunities as part of local peace-building schemes; (iv) informed United Nations' work on divided societies; and (v) facilitated mediation networks dedicated to changing the nature of public space. It has been carried out according to a government brief for the whole Northern Ireland population, thereby encompassing the maximum scope possible for impact within the legal jurisdiction of the state. The research has been transformative in understanding and tackling the extremely contested issue of how and when flags are used in public spaces in Northern Ireland and it has influenced United Nations' consultations on post-conflict policies.

Summary of the impact

Sustained research on citizenship issues by Professor David Archard and Dr Jeremy Watkins has:

• Provided the intellectual content for a Philosophy for Citizenship course which has been undertaken by hundreds of children in schools across Northern Ireland since its inception in January, 2012;
• Improved children's intellectual and interpersonal skills by promoting better quality reasoning, listening and oral communication;

and,

• Delivered a sustainable model of citizenship education that is particularly tailored to the needs of post-conflict societies and that has been embedded in a number of teacher training courses in Northern Ireland.

Summary of the impact

The research of Professor Paul Simpson and Dr Joan Rahilly has informed and enhanced the broader awareness and understanding of English language in the context of secondary level education in Northern Ireland, and has had particular influence on both clinical and developmental assessment of language use. The end users who have benefited from this research include (i) schools, colleges and lifelong learning, (ii) health and well-being agencies, and (iii) voluntary organisations and charities. The main achievements can be summarised as:

• an increased awareness among teachers of the principles of variation in language
• an increased receptiveness among communities of interest to Northern Ireland's numerous accent and dialect differences
• the development of pedagogical tools for understanding patterns in both spoken and written language
• a set of formal links between QUB, the Council for the Curriculum, the Education Boards and individual schools and teachers
• an established forum for the provision of training in response to changes in the English language curriculum
• an established relationship between QUB and professional speech therapists, with demonstrable impact on clinical protocols in Northern Ireland
• a developing set of formal links with clinicians and parents involved in, or connected to, Belfast's autism community

Summary of the impact

The impact here relates to Kieran McEvoy's research on the development of Community Restorative Justice (CRJ) in Northern Ireland. The reach of this impact has been three-fold. First, McEvoy's research was central in persuading the Irish Republican Army (IRA) to change their policy and practice and to ultimately end punishment violence completely. No IRA sanctioned punishment attack has occurred between 2008 and 2013. Second, his research led directly to the establishment and development of ten lawful and non-violent CRJ projects, now staffed largely by former IRA activists which replaced the previous system of paramilitary vigilante justice. Third, McEvoy's research on CRJ has led to a collaborative relationship on the ground between previously estranged Republican communities and the police in Northern Ireland via these CRJI programmes from 2008 to 2013

Summary of the impact

Research from the Digital arts strand of the CMR has had an impact in two related areas.

• It has fed into and impacted on policy and planning for the development of the creative industries in Northern Ireland
• It has helped cultural institutions and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) to develop mobile phone apps and interactive gaming solutions to the problems of maximising audience participation and increasing footfall across key cultural sectors.

Summary of the impact

This case study demonstrates the social, economic and cultural impact of research carried out by members of the Irish and Celtic Studies Research Institute into the history of the Irish language in Belfast in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

This research has revealed the extent of Irish language activity in Belfast in the 19^th century, focussing on the one hand on Gaelic revivalism and antiquarianism and on the other on the history of an Irish-speaking community who migrated to this urban area from Omeath, Co. Louth. Our research into the Irish language in an urbanised and industrialised setting has been adopted and utilised by the Irish speaking community in Belfast, by Irish language organisations, by the media and by the tourist industry.

This case study demonstrates how our research has impacted on the wider community, in particular by tracing its dissemination in the key areas of broadcasting, cultural heritage and tourism initiatives. As an indication of the reach and significance of this impact, it is shown inter alia that a television documentary describing the findings of our research achieved very significant viewing figures (over 100,000 on its first showing); a permanent exhibition illustrating the history of native Irish speakers in Belfast has become a major tourist attraction in an economically disadvantaged area of Belfast; a cross-community cultural heritage project on this urban gaeltacht was funded by Belfast City Council and a specially commissioned drama was produced by Aisling Ghéar Theatre. Furthermore, a transportable exhibition on the Irish language in Belfast formed part of the centenary celebrations of Belfast City Hall and went on tour to the United States as part of an investment drive by the West Belfast Economic Forum.