1972: Ireland Votes for Change

Pictured are Neville Keery, Professor Lee and UCC President, Professor Patrick O Shea. (Photo By Tomas Tyner, UCC)

Ireland Votes for Change to cast light on groundbreaking referendums. The impact of Ireland’s referendums of 1972 — the lowering of the voting age to 18, removing the special position of the Catholic Church from the Constitution and Ireland’s Accession to the EEC (EU)— is the focus of a new exhibition at UCC Library.

1972: Ireland Votes for Change, which marks the 45th anniversary of the three seminal referendums of that year, has been made possible by the donation of Neville Keery’s papers to UCC Library.

Now retired, Keery had a long and illustrious career as a journalist, administrative officer, Senator, and Senior European Commission Official. His active role in the 1972 referendums is reflected in his archival collection, which will be open for public consultation from January 2018.

The exhibition, organised by UCC Library and curated by UCC Library’s Archivists Emer Twomey and Emma Horgan, was launched on Wednesday, October 11, by eminent historian Professor Emeritus J.J. Lee, at Boole Library, UCC.