I was told one time, on good authority that the beginning of the peace process in Ireland really dates to the day when Peter Brooke, Secretary of State, made a speech at the London Chamber of Commerce in 1990. In that speech Brooke stated that Britain had no longer a strategic interest in remaining in Ireland. In other words, the previous claim by the British government that they needed a foothold in Ireland for security reasons no longer obtained. Margaret Thatcher was the British Prime Minister and just in case people thought Brooke was speaking off the cuff and without official backing, he repeated the assertion some weeks later-to make it absolutely clear that he had official backing.
It was after that speech in 1990 that Sinn Fein leaders began a serious internal discussion about the possibility of bringing an end to the armed campaign by the IRA which would lead to negotiations with the British government about a permanent peace settlement that would allow for the reunification of Ireland and the end of British involvement.
It was clear to the Sinn Fein leadership and to the republican prisoners who were involved in the discussions that if the British were now saying they had no future strategic interest in Ireland then there were no further need for a military campaign and the circumstances were right for a cessation. They believed that with goodwill on all sides talks could produce a settlement.
Those talks would inevitably lead to a new political dispensation negotiated primarily between the British and Irish representatives and would also involve the Unionist representatives. It was a serious commitment by Sinn Fein and IRA leaders to a peaceful future. It would require patience and dedication in face of hostility and cynicism. Of course a political settlement would involve all the elected leaders within the six counties and the leaders of the government in Dublin with the support of the US administration and supporters of Irish freedom throughout the world.
The peace process had begun in earnest after Brooke’s speech and then the Downing Street Declaration by John Major and Albert Reynolds in 1993, though it would take much hard work and a lot of patience to bring it forward to a successful conclusion so that all parties could be reasonably satisfied with the outcome. Some members of the UUP were suspicious. One party- the DUP led by Mr Paisley -was not at all happy with this turn of events and remained outside of negotiations until they were eventually persuaded that there was no alternative but to join the new institutions set up under the Good Friday Agreement.
Thirty-seven years later in 2025, relative peace exists and the new political arrangements and institutions established by the Good Friday Agreement of 1998 are still in place and working to improve the lives of all the citizens living in the northern jurisdiction.
Sinn Fein is now the largest political party in the north and entitled to hold the position of First Minister. This would have been unthinkable forty years ago. Sinn Fein is also the largest political party in the whole 32 counties of Ireland which is where they wanted to be when they were negotiating the peace settlement in 1998. If there was going to be constitutional change in Ireland in order to bring about the end of British involvement then the Sinn Fein party understood that they would have to be in a position of political strength to negotiate a permanent settlement with the British government. The six counties have been transformed- though much still needs to be done to make the promises of the GFA a reality. Much remains to be done to improve the quality of life for the working class-unionist and republican. The full implantation of the GFA will require a Border referendum to be announced when the Secretary of State is confident that such a poll would be carried by a majority in the north and a majority in the 26 counties.
Peter Brooke who might be considered the man who set the process in motion was, of course, forced to resign after he was persuaded to sing his favourite song on the RTE Late Late Show. Unionists and loyalists were incensed because it was the same day as the Teebane bombing of loyalist workers. However, I think Peter Brooke will always be remembered for that speech in 1990. It marks the beginning of the peace process.
Indeed Joe. Those comments, in that speech, are something I often remind people of. I use the analogy, that if your partner, wife, husband, boyfriend had stated they had no selfish, strategic or economic interest in the relationship continuing, you’d probably take the hint and think about moving on to pastures new. I certainly wouldn’t be lingering about 30+ years later in a relationship where I’m not wanted.
Why have Unionists ignored this?
Sir Norman Brooke, Cabinet Secretary,
wrote a memo for Attlee when John A Costello declared a Republic.
He said it was convenient for British (Mainland) parties to appear to have no interest in the continuation
of partition, and the claims of the Ulster Unionists had no validity, but for strategic reasons it was imperative that SOME PART OF IRELAND MUST REMAIN WITHIN HIS MAJESTYS DOMINIONS.
At the time Attlee was presiding over a genocidal war in Malaya, founding the British WElfare State on the theft of Malayan Rubber and Tin, robbery of Iranian Oil, and creating NATO.
As Lloyd George tricked Griffith, and the Boundary Commission was a sham so too is the Good Friday Agreement. The decision to have a referendum on Irish unification is in the pocket of
a British Minister, and Starmer has vowed to campaign for the Union in the unlikely event a British
Minister would arrange for them.
Ireland, Gibraltar, Malta, Cyprus, the Falklands, the British Indian Ocean Islands………all helt
for strategic purposes. Ireland the oldest and nearest base for the projection of British power.
Don’t kid yourself about British Government Honour.
Peter Brooke was a good egg at heart I believe however 37 years later and the brit normalization policy seems to be working fine for them. Let’s get a border pole and get our 32 counties United.
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