Francesca Kay is the Director of the British-Irish Association (BIA), a charitable organisation that has been working towards good relations between the peoples and governments of the UK and Ireland since its foundation in 1972.
During the complexities of Brexit, the BIA had an instrumental part in bringing key players together and was credited with paving the way to the extension of the grace period and the Northern Ireland Protocol breakthrough. It continues to fulfil a vital role in providing a unique space for honest reflection and debate and by nurturing relationships within and across these islands.
Over the years the BIA has also brought the incomparable insights of writers, artists, film-makers and musicians to its diverse audiences, thus deepening awareness of the complex challenges that we face.
Francesca is an award-winning novelist, writing books such as An Equal Stillness (2009), which won the Orange Award for New Writers, The Translation of the Bones (2012), which was longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction and The Long Room (2016).
Her latest novel, The Book of Days, was published in February 2024.
Receiving her award, Francesca shared:
“I am deeply honoured and truly delighted to receive this Honorary Doctorate from Ulster University. It means a great deal to be recognised by an institution that plays such an important role in the cultural and intellectual life of these islands.
“Both my work as a writer and my role at the British-Irish Association have been shaped by a deep belief in the power of words – whether in literature, public dialogue, or diplomacy – to illuminate, connect, and, ultimately, to heal.
“This award is not just a personal privilege, but a tribute to the enduring importance of the arts and to the value of open, thoughtful conversation in complex times.”
