News from IAIS
2003-12-18 14:12:00 EST
PAISLEY WELCOMES UUP RESIGNATIONS
Democratic Unionist leader Rev Ian Paisley welcomed the resignations today of Ulster Unionist rebel Jeffrey Donaldson and two other UUP MLA's, saying they dealt a "hammer blow" to the rival UUP.
2003-12-18 11:15:00 EST
JEFFREY DONALDSON QUITS UUP
Rebel Ulster Unionist Jeffrey Donaldson has quit the party along with two newly elected assembly members. The Lagan Valley MP said tonight he was leaving the UUP with fellow anti-Agreement UUP assembly-members Arlene Foster and Norah Beare. Mr Donaldson said: "We have made the decision that we are resigning from the Ulster Unionist Party and will be considering our options."
One could involve him joining the Rev Ian Paisley`s Democratic Unionists. He confirmed: "I have been offered a position on the DUP`s negotiating team to participate in the negotiations taking place in January and will be taking a decision after the holidays."
2003-12-17 13:07:00 EST
REVIEW TO BE SHORT, SHARP AND FOCUSED SAYS BLAIR
The review of Good Friday Agreement will be "short, sharp and focussed", British prime minister Tony Blair has pledged.
Speaking after meeting Northern Ireland's main pro-Agreement parties in Downing Street, Mr Blair said the review's remit was "the way the institutions work and how we can overcome the current impasse". Mr Blair met the parties along with Irish premier Bertie Ahern today. It was their first opportunity to assess the political situation following last month's assembly election.
The political institutions were suspended more than a year ago and the parties went into the assembly election against the background of a deadlocked process.
2003-11-28 13:49:00 EST
DUP: 30 UUP: 27 SF: 24 SDLP: 18 OTH: 9
All 108 seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly have been filled this evening with the Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Féin showing the greatest gains. With the Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Féin as the two biggest parties, the result is likely to lead to political wrangling and another stalemate in the North.
All 108 seats have now been allocated. The anti-Agreement DUP has surged into the lead with 30 seats, the UUP have 27, Sinn Féin have 24, the SDLP 18 seats, the Alliance Party have five, the UKUP and PUP have one each and an indenpendent hospital candidate, Dr Kieran Deeny, has been elected in West Tyrone.
2003-11-04 05:37:00 EST
McGUINNESS TESTIFIES BEFORE BLOODY SUNDAY INQUIRY
Sinn Fein MP Martin McGuinness has told the Saville Inquiry that within two weeks of Bloody Sunday he was leading the IRA in Derry. The Bloody Sunday inquiry is examining the events of 30 January 1972 when 13 civilians were shot dead by soldiers during a civil rights march in Derry. Another man died later from his injuries.
2003-10-29 13:37:00 EST
IRA RELEASES STATEMENT ON CHOREOGRAPHY CHARADE
The IRA has said there is no credible explanation for the Ulster Unionist leader to have halted moves aimed at restoring power-sharing in Northern Ireland. In their third statement on the process in eight days, the IRA said they carried out the decommissioning of their "largest amount of arms to date" last week to boost the process.
But they accused Ulster Unionist leader Mr Trimble of failing to keep to his side of the deal and giving them no "credible explanation" as to why he did so. The statement said the putting of weapons beyond use was part of an agreed series of moves involving the Ulster Unionists, Sinn Féin, the decommissioning body and the British and Irish Governments.
2003-10-27 14:35:00 EST
ELECTION TO GO AHEAD WITHOUT DEAL IN PLACE
Next month's Northern Ireland Assembly election seems likely to take place without a deal to restore power sharing, Ulster Unionist leader Mr David Trimble said tonight. As Ulster Unionists and Sinn Féin blamed each other for the breakdown of last week's peace process deal, the British and Irish Governments were holding out little hope that the deadlock could be broken.
Elections are due to be held in Northern Ireland on November 26th with Sinn Féin threatening to overtake the SDLP as the largest single nationalist party and Mr Trimble's Ulster Unionists trying to hold off a challenge from the Rev Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionists as the leading voice in their community.
2003-10-22 05:14:00 EST
AHERN 'DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED' AT FAILURE
Irish premier Bertie Ahern claimed today he always believed that the lack of specific details on IRA decommissioning, presented by General John de Chastelain, would cause problems in peace process negotiations. Mr Ahern told the Dáil (Irish parliament) this morning that he was "deeply disappointed that our efforts failed" but said the Government would "continue with the British government and others to find a solution".
2003-10-21 14:20:00 EST
CONSTERNATION AS TRIMBLE REJECTS DECOMMISSIONING ACT
The carefully choreographed sequence of events designed to lead to the re-establishment of the Northern Ireland Assembly has been thrown in chaos after the leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, Mr David Trimble said today's act of decommissioning from the IRA was not transparent enough. See full text.
2003-10-21 09:33:00 EST
DE CHASTELAIN CONFIRMS IRA DECOMMISSIONING STATEMENT
The IRA has issued a statement confirming it has carried out a further act of decommissioning of its weapons.
Afternoon statement:
The statement issued a short time ago says: "The leadership of Oglaigh na hEireann can confirm that a further act of putting arms beyond use has taken place under the agreed scheme."
Signed, P O'Neill.
2003-10-21 01:29:00 EST
ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS TO TAKE PLACE ON NOVERMER 26
The British government confirmed this morning that Assembly elections in Northern Ireland will take place on November 26th. The news comes at the start of what promises to be another historic day in the peace process.
2003-09-24 15:02:00 EST
ELECTION PLAN MUST BE COMPLETED IN WEEKS - PREMIERS
Plans for elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly must be completed within weeks, the Taoiseach Mr Bertie Ahern and the British Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair said today. Both leaders used an American prize-giving ceremony honoring their role in shaping the Belfast Agreement to call for all parties in Northern Ireland to "go the final mile".
Mr Ahern, in the US ahead of his address to the United Nations General Assembly, was given the honor at the University of Connecticut. Mr Blair was represented by Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott. Speaking as he collected the Thomas J Dodd Prize in International Justice and Human Rights, Mr Ahern said plans for elections to the Stormont Assembly needed to be finalised by mid-October.
2003-09-14 18:44:00 EST
AHERN ON CHEQUERS TALKS
Northern Ireland elections can only be held if there is a credible chance of an executive being formed afterwards, Bertie Ahern said today. After talks with his British counterpart Tony Blair at Chequers last night, Mr Ahern today said he wanted the poll to take place before Christmas.
2003-09-12 13:56:00 EST
UUP DEFERS DISCIPLINARY ACTION AGAINST REBELS
The Ulster Unionist Party today decided to keep on hold its disciplinary action against three rebel MPs. Emerging from a party officers` meeting at its headquarters in Belfast, Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble confirmed they had decided to not press ahead immediately with disciplinary action against Jeffrey Donaldson, David Burnside and the Rev Martin Smyth.
2003-09-06 08:07:00 EST
RESOUNDING VICTORY FOR TRIMBLE OVER REBELS
Ulster Unionist leader Mr David Trimble today achieved a resounding victory in his bid to force three rebel MPs to resume the party whip. Ulster Unionist Council delegates backed an amendment from Mr Trimble against three MPs; Mr Jeffrey Donaldson, Mr David Burnside and Rev Martin Smyth. About 56 per cent of delegates supported his call for MPs to resume the whip at Westminster, which they resigned in June in a row over party's peace process policy. A total of 443 delegates backed their party leader's call on the MPs to end their protest.
2003-08-21 06:25:00 EST
NEXT UUP SHOWDOWN PLACED IN HANDS OF LAWYERS
David Trimble's warring Ulster Unionist Party has placed demands for an internal showdown in the hands of lawyers. Party officers delayed setting a date for a meeting of their 900-member ruling council until it was confirmed that the call from hardliners was legally sound.
2003-08-19 14:11:00 EST
UUP COUNCIL TO MEET FOR ANOTHER SHOWDOWN
Talks aimed at healing deep divisions within David Trimble's Ulster Unionist Party were suspended today after rival factions prepared for another showdown. With another critical meeting of the party`s ruling council expected to take place early next month, senior members decided to call a halt to any further internal discussions. Sir Reg Empey and Jim Rodgers pulled the plug on talks after learning a requisition order had been given to party officers requesting a meeting of the 900-member council to discuss disciplinary action against three MPs.
2003-08-07 06:36:00 EST
McKEVITT SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS
"Real" IRA leader Michael McKevitt has been given a 20-year jail term for directing terrorism and being a member of an illegal organisation. He received 20 years for the offence of directing terrorism and six years for membership of an illegal organisation. The sentences are to run concurrently from the time of McKevitt's arrest.
2003-07-21 11:07:00 EST
SINN FEIN SEEKS RECONCILIATION WITH UNIONISTS
Sinn Fein has set out a number of principles designed to help it engage with all sections of the unionist community in Northern Ireland, a veteran member of the party revealed today. After a meeting of the party`s north-west representatives in Derry, former Foyle Assembly member Mary Nelis said their members were committed to ``equality, reconciliation, fair play, openness and inclusivity`` in their dealings with unionists.
2003-07-15 07:54:00 EST
ADAMS OFFERS TO MEET ORANGEMEN OVER PARADES
The Protestant Orange Order was today urged to meet Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams and reassess its attitude to marches through nationalist areas. Welcoming the "relatively peaceful" Orange Order Twelfth of July celebrations over the weekend, Mr Adams said he had always defended the right of Orangemen to march. But he added this right needed to be balanced "with full respect for the right of others, and in particular, the rights of host communities".
2003-07-13 10:57:00 EST
POLICE MAY PROSECUTE ORANGE ORDER MEMBERS OVER MARCH
Police in the North say they intend to prosecute participants in a banned Orange Order march in Co Derry on Friday evening. Ignoring warnings from police that the march was illegal, eighty people marched from Killowen Street to the Old Town Bridge in Coleraine, a police spokesman said. When officers blocked the march from proceeding to the town center officers were pelted with "several missiles". The gathering was eventually dispersed at 10.30 p.m., the spokesman added. He said CCTV footage was being examined and prosecutions of those involved would follow.
2003-07-12 14:53:00 EST/FONT>
2003-07-09 11:48:00 EST 2003-07-08 16:43:00 EST 2003-07-08 01:28:00 EST 2003-07-07 11:28:00 EST Read the full stories at The Irish American Information Service
ORANGEMEN TAKE TO THE STREETS ACROSS THE NORTH
An contentious Orange Order march in Belfast's Ardoyne passed off this evening relatively peacefully. The Orange Order marchers were accompanied by up to 400 hangers-on who taunted the local residents who had gathered to protest the Parades Commission decision to allow the march throught the heavily nationalist area. There was a heavy security presence in area this morning as the Orange Feeder parade from Ballysillan started to make its way down the Crumlin Road.
DONALDSON TELLS TRIMBLE TO HEAL THE RIFT
An Ulster Unionist MP at the center of a bitter row with his leader David Trimble and other colleagues over party policy urged them today to heal their rift. With the UUP facing another potentially divisive party officers` meeting this Friday, Jeffrey Donaldson appealed to pro-Good Friday Agreement colleagues not to try again to suspend him and other MPs for defying the leadership.
TRIMBLE DEFEATS NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION
David Trimble has defeated a vote of no confidence as Member of Parliament for Upper Bann, in the latest wrangle within the Ulster Unionist Party. Up to 250 people took part in tonight's debate with 115 voting in favor of Mr Trimble, rejecting the motion, and 69 voting against him.
TRIMBLE FACES NO-CONFIDENCE VOTE
Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble is facing a vote of no confidence as MP for Upper Bann, in the latest wrangle within his party. Dissident unionists gathered 30 signatures last month for a motion of no confidence in Mr Trimble and it is due to be discussed on tonight.
COURT RULES UUP MEMBERS' SUSPENSION INVALID
The suspension of three Ulster Unionist MPs from the party is invalid, the High Court in Belfast has ruled.
Party leader David Trimble suspended the process following Tuesday’s third round of decommissioning because of the failure of the IICD to create the necessary confidence.
Mr. Trimble said: “Our position was that we would see what people said, see what they did and then we would make a decision.
“There had been an agreement on a sequence of events which were to take place in the course of today. The sequence was to begin with statements from republicans with a speech from Mr Adams that was endorsed by the IRA.
“Now the speech was good, there were very good things in it and we were very much encouraged by that.
“Then we were expecting to have a report from General de Chastelain on transparent acts of decommissioning and there was clear agreement between us and republicans when we were talking that there should be greater transparency.
“We had made it very clear to republicans and the governments and the general that what we needed was a clear transparent report of major acts of decommissioning of a nature which would have a significant impact on public opinion and demonstrate that we were in a different context.
Unfortunately we had not had that; we have not had that at all. There possibly may have been those substantial acts of decommissioning but we have not had the transparency or an adequate report from it.
“Under the agreed sequence the next step would have been a number of statements from myself about our desire to see the administration reformed.
“Everyone knows about our desire and how hard we have worked over the last number of weeks in order to have meaningful elections to an Assembly.
“However I am sorry I have to say that in view of the failure of the IICD to create the necessary confidence and because of what the IICD has done we probably have less confidence than we had an hour ago, because of that I regret I am not in the position to make those statements.
“We are in effect putting the sequence on hold.
“What we will do is we will make arrangements to consult the party and hold a special UUC meeting.
“This will give republicans who foolishly imposed obligations of confidentiality on the IICD and the IICD the opportunity to repair the damage to the process that has been done this afternoon. I hope that opportunity it taken and I hope we will be able to resume the sequence that is put on hold.”
2003-05-06 14:34:00 EST
"The leadership of Oglaigh na hEireann takes this opportunity to give our view of the current phases of the peace process. In particular we want to address unionist concerns. "The political responsibility for advancing the current situation rests with the two governments, especially the British Government, and the leaderships of the political parties. "Accordingly, the IRA leadership have assessed commitments from the two governments and the UUP.
"The IRA has a genuine interest in building an enduring political process because we want to see the removal of the causes of the conflict in our country. "Although the Irish Republican Army is not a party to the Good Friday Agreement, we are disappointed that the Agreement has not been implemented. "We are disappointed also that the commitments in the joint declaration are conditional and protracted. Despite this we want to give them a fair wind. "Oglaigh na hEireann supports the peace process. We want it to work. We affirm that our cessation is intact.
"We are resolved to see the complete and final closure of this conflict. The IRA leadership is determined to ensure that our activities, disciplines and strategies will be consistent with this. "Furthermore, the full and irreversible implementation of the Agreement and other commitments will provide a context in which the IRA can proceed to definitively set aside arms to further our political objectives. "When there is such a context this decision can be taken only by a General Army Convention representing all our volunteers. "We want to enhance the climate at all levels of society so that unionists and loyalists, nationalists and republicans, free from threats to their rights and safety, can engage together in community, political and other areas of co-operation and work. "The IRA poses no threat to the unionist people or to the peace process.
"The IRA leadership reiterates our commitment to resolving the issue of arms. The commitments from the two governments, including the ending of the suspension of the political institutions, and the firm pledge by the leader of the Ulster Unionist Party that he will actively support the sustained working of the political institutions and other elements of the Good Friday Agreement, enables us to do this. "We have authorised our representative to meet with the IICD with a view to proceeding with the implementation of a process to put arms beyond use at the earliest opportunity. "We have also authorised a third act of putting arms beyond use. This will be verified under the agreed scheme. "These initiatives are part of our ongoing contribution to the collective endeavour. The commitments made by the two governments and the UUP are a necessary part of this. "We support genuine efforts to build a just and peaceful future for all the people of this island. This is a collective task for all sections of society. Unionist political leaders have a special contribution to make.
"We are Irish republicans. Our objective is a united Ireland. We are not unionists or British and no one should expect us to to set aside our political objectives or our republicanism. "We do not claim to fully understand unionist perceptions. But we are prepared to listen and to learn. And we are committed to playing our part in creating the conditions in which unionists, nationalists and republicans can live together peacefully. "Building the collective trust to achieve this is a huge challenge for everyone. Given the experience of nationalists and republicans during the decades of conflict and before, this is a particular challenge for us. It is also a challenge for unionists and the British Government.
"Much hurt has been inflicted by British Government policy, by successive British Governments and by the old unionist regime. Great pain has been caused by the British army, the RUC and loyalist paramilitaries. Irish republicans and nationalists have a proud and honourable record of resistance against these forces. We know unionists do not see it like that. "We are also conscious that non-combatants were killed and injured as a consequence of some of our actions. We offer our sincere apologies and condolences to their families and friends.
"The IRA is committed to supporting every effort to make conflict a thing of the past. To this end the IRA leadership has previously authorised a series of unprecedented initiatives to enhance the search for a lasting peace. "On occasions these have been undervalued or dismissed. Despite this, we are persisting in our endeavours. The initiatives outlined in this statement involve further substantive and additional contributions by the IRA. "Both governments - and unionists and republicans alike - have now an opportunity which cannot and should not be wasted."
P O'Neill, Irish Republican Army.
2003-04-23 07:47:00 EST
Referring to Sinn Fein president Mr Gerry Adams's statement that the IRA's commitments to the peace process were clear, Mr Blair said: "The truth is, so far as we are concerned, and the Irish government is concerned, and the US government, they are not clear and unambiguous, they are uncertain."
"There are essentially three questions that arise and I think you will find that when I describe these three questions, they are all questions that are perfectly capable of clear and plain answers," he said. "Let me spell them out for you because these are the three fundamental questions;
"-When the IRA say that their strategies and disciplines will not be inconsistent with the Good Friday Agreement, does that mean an end to all activities inconsistent with the Good Friday Agreement, including targeting, procurement of weapons, so-called punishment beatings and so forth?
"-Secondly, when they say that they are committed to putting arms beyond use through the decommissioning commission, does that mean all arms so that the process is complete?
"-And thirdly, when they say that they support the Good Friday Agreement and want it to work, does that mean that if the two Governments and the other parties fulfil their obligations under the Good Friday Agreement and the joint declaration, does that mean the complete and final closure of the conflict?"
See full text of questions and answers.
Irish Proclamation of Freedom Read by Patrick Pearse from the Steps of the General Post Office, Dublin, Ireland on Easter Monday, April 24, 1916
The Irish Government, June 1997:
Bloody Sunday and the Report of the Widgery Tribunal
Full text of the Good Friday Agreement, April 10, 1998.
Investigation into the human rights in Northern Ireland, September 29, 1998
Statement by Rosemary Nelson, solicitor for Garvaghy Road residents
Nobel Peace Price Award, December 11, 1998:
Nobel Address by David Trimble, First Minister and leader of the Ulster Unionist Party
Nobel Address by John Hume, leader of the catholic SDLP
George Mitchell's Peace Principles, November 1999:
Statements of November 16 and 17, 1999, by Ulster Unionist Party, Sinn Féin, Progressive Unionist Party and IRA
George Mitchell's statement, November 18, 1999
Suspension of Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive. February 2000:
Decommissioning reports, Mandelson in House of Commons, IRA statements
Peace process resumed. May 2000
British-Irish joint statement and IRA statement.
Peace process resumed. May 2000
British-Irish joint statement and IRA statement.
Inspection of IRA weapons dumps, June 2000
Arms inspector's report
Abortion Referendum March 7, 2002
IRA Statement on Decommissioning April 8, 2002
Speech by Tony Blair, British Prime Minister, at the Harbour Commisssioners' Offices in Belfast, 17 October 2002.
An Irish bookshop: Read Ireland
Wesley Johnston's History of Ireland
The CAIN Project (The Northern Ireland Conflict)
Danish Irish Society
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The Irish Times
I started reading about Ireland and about its history in order to understand just a bit of the Irish paradoxes. Although I started from the very beginning the matter was still incomprehensible. I therefore began to write down the headlines in Danish.
In 1998 when I got my own website I wondered what to put there. My family, my career or my garden could not attract much attention. But my Danish survey of the history of Ireland would be different from most other websites, so I uploaded the whole story.
I considered my web-project to be complete by then. However the beginning of 1998 was to become a turning point in the history of Ireland. The Good Friday Agreement created optimism and a new hope of lasting peace. I therefore added new chapters on the peace agreement and on the ups and downs since then. Obviously there is still a way to go before a real peace has been achieved and right now I can't see the end of my project.
A lot of people wrote to me asking for details or references. This has proved the need for a brief Danish version of the history of Ireland. In 2001 more than 50 persons on the average have been visiting my website every day.
However about 10 % of the visitors on my website are non-Scandinavians. I have added this page in order to serve these people with some information about my project and with some of the important references.
I considered reference documents and speeches most interesting in the original English language. I also have to admit that a proper translation of the documents to Danish is not that simple. On the other hand the number of visitors to the reference pages in English has been very limited. Therefore all information in English will be concentrated in this English section of my website together with selected news.
I have no intention of making an English version of the whole story. I have neither the ability nor the capacity to write in English and several excellent sites already offer that sort of information.
E-mail me your comments and questions
Ireland History in Maps
Irish History on the Web
The Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland
Ulster Unionist Party
The Irish Republican Socialist Party
Fine Gael
Ulster Democratic Unionist Party, DUP
Fianna Fáil
Ulster Democratic Party
The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
Progressive Unionist Party
Ulster Nation
The Social Democratic and Labour Party
The Wild Geese (USA) Irish soldiers in exile
Visit Danish Irish Society
December 16, 2001 Top
Since my first visit to Ireland the history of Ireland was a puzzle to me. Why has this beautiful country with its charming and hospitable population become the arena of a never-ending conflict? Differences in religion, language, race or culture gave no reasonable explanation. Which coincidence has caused so much suffering in Ireland while other countries such as Denmark had nothing but trifles to quarrel about?