Margaret Thatcher’s moods, Garret FitzGerald’s outburst – a diplomat looks back
Late British diplomat David Goodall recalls the creation of the 1985 Anglo-Irish Agreement
Ex-diplomats ‘always knew’ Britain intercepted Irish communications
GCHQ intercepted ‘everything’ related to Anglo-Irish Agreement, ex-diplomats say
Britain has always struggled to take Ireland seriously, say Irish ex-diplomats
‘Why didn’t the British focus on the fact that they had an extensive land border with the EU? Because it was in Ireland.’
Ian Paisley wanted ‘to obtain arms’ from Israel
Israeli ambassador reported to his Irish counterpart about an ‘unlikely’ request
John Bowman: How Irish diplomats ‘dined for Ireland’
State Papers: 1987 files describe mission to promote Anglo-Irish Agreement
‘Tough nuts’ Haughey and Thatcher get reacquainted as London says it’s business as usual
The nightmare for any Irish government was the extradition of an innocent citizen who would be wrongly jailed
British proposed East German-style border for Ireland, files reveal
State papers from 1987 reveal proposal to erect a physical border along the 500km frontier
Professor Ronan Fanning: A giant of Irish historiography
Ted Smyth reflects on the incisive intellect and modern mind that was Prof Fanning
‘To leave Sinn Féin is to leave the IRA,’ Adams told ardfheis
State papers 1986: Delegates voted to end policy of abstentionism, leading to walk-out by dissidents
Thatcher was a chameleon on Ireland even after Anglo-Irish Agreement
State Papers 1986: the year after agreement was signed relations remained complex
Peter Barry: the man who helped cajole the Iron Lady into Anglo-Irish Agreement
Business success of the Barry’s Tea owner was secondary to his political impact
State Papers: Tortuous road to Anglo-Irish Agreement
Thatcher had concerns, feared unionist reaction, but officials and FitzGerald pressed on
Keeping the lady onside for the Anglo-Irish Agreement
State Papers 1985: Taoiseach careful to keep Margaret Thatcher engaged during talks
SDLP impressed by party’s inclusion in government’s ‘most secret negotiations’
State Papers 1985: Reports noted tensions between Seamus Mallon and John Hume
New Ireland Forum helped begin process of changing hearts and minds
Shift in nationalist demands allowed forum to become launchpad for lobbying
Pragmatism wins out ahead of conviction
While Margaret Thatcher was unionist at heart, the situation in the North wasnot working. In Garret FitzGerald she found a leader to reach agreement with
Canal-bank conversation pivotal to shift in British-Irish relationship
Former British diplomat David Goodall recalls the initiation of the dialogue that led to the Anglo-Irish Agreement
The real deal that changed the game
Thirty years ago on Sunday November 15th, FitzGerald and Thatcher sealed deal at a press conference at which everything was sweetness and light . . .
Anglo-Irish Agreement: How the deal was done
Against all the odds, the agreement showed that politics could actually work in the North
Ian Paisley ‘refused to say’ how he intercepted Irish official’s letter
Northern state papers 1987: how a private letter ended up in his mailbox is revealed
Garret FitzGerald’s government saw demolition of Divis Flats as strategic
Northern state papers 1987: Move would undermine support for Provisional IRA
British feared Anglo-Irish Agreement would be ruled unconstitutional
Northern state papers 1987: legal challenge by McGimpsey brothers caused concern
RUC tipped off gardaí over Peter Robinson’s 1986 incursion
DUP MP was among 150 loyalists who crossed border into Clontibret
State papers of 1984 reveal capacity for ‘doublethink’ was all too evident
Chilling government memo underlines how close Republic was to a bailout
Trimble and Mallon criticise Stormont Executive at DCU conferring
Former NI leaders awarde honorary doctorates by Dublin university
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