TFF Associates & Themes Blog

Mairead Corrigan Maguire
Nobel Peace Laureate

Co-founder, Peace People – Northern Ireland l976.

Mairead Corrigan Maguire was awarded the l976 Nobel Peace Prize for her actions to help bring about peace and an end to the violence arising out of the ethnic/political conflict in her native Northern Ireland. She shares the award with Betty Williams.

Mairead was the aunt of the three Maguire children who died as a result of being hit by an Irish Republican Army getaway car after its driver was shot by a British soldier. Mairead responded to the violence facing her family and community by organizing, together with Betty Williams and Ciaran McKeown, massive peace demonstrations appealing for an end to the bloodshed, and a nonviolent solution to the conflict.

Together, the three co-founded the Peace People, a movement committed to building a just and nonviolent society in Northern Ireland. The Peace People organized each week, for six months, peace rallies throughout Ireland and the UK. These were attended by many thousands of people, mostly women, and during this time there was a 70% decrease in the rate of violence.

Since receiving the award, Mairead has dedicated her life to promoting disarmament and peace, both in Northern Ireland and around the world.

Working with community groups throughout Northern Ireland, political and church Leaders, she has sought to promote dialogue and conflict resolution, in order to bring about a nonkilling, nonviolent society and world.

Mairead has visited many countries, amongst others, North/South Korea, Afghanistan, Gaza, Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Congo, Iraq, and other countries in violent conflict in order to be in solidarity with all people working for peace, justice and disarmament.

A graduate of Irish School of Ecumenics, Mairead – a pacifist – works with inter-church, inter-faith and secular organizations. And she is a councillor with the International Peace Council and Co-Chair of Nobel Womens’ Initiative.

She is a Patron of the Methodist Theological College, and Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education. She has worked extensively in the Middle East believing that peace is possible and as we are all interconnected as the Human Family, sharing one common Mother Earth, we can all do something for peace and justice for all.

Mairead is author of The Vision of Peace: Faith and Hope in Northern Ireland which is also available in Urdu.

Mairead joined as TFF Associate in March 2016.