05/22/04 14:05 EST
EXPLOSION BLAMED ON LOYALIST FEUD
Two houses have been damaged in a bomb explosion in east Belfast. The incident has been linked to the loyalist feud. Police attended the scene of the explosion at Bloomfield Court after receiving reports at 1AM, GMT. When they arrived they discovered two houses were damaged, with shattered windows and doors off their hinges. One of the houses was empty at the time, while an occupant of the other was treated for shock in an ambulance at the scene.
Police say a "substantial device" had been placed on the doorstep of one of the properties. It was not a pipe bomb.
05/04/04 14:21 EST
SDLP PROPOSES TEMPORARY DEVOLUTION PLAN
SDLP leader Mark Durkan has called for a temporary form of devolution that would involve 10 unelected professionals running government departments. He was speaking today as talks aimed at restoring devolution in Northern Ireland resumed for the last time before the European elections in June. Mr Durkan said his plan would allow the assembly to return, and would offer a form of civil administration not currently available.
05/02/04 14:24 EST
PREMIERS LAUNCH FRESH ATTEMPT TO RESTORE DEVOLUTION
The Irish premier Bertie Ahern and the Prime Minister Tony Blair have launched a fresh attempt to restore the political process in Northern Ireland. The Taoiseach and the Prime Minister issued a joint statement after holding talks in Dublin stressing the need to "create the conditions for the restoration of devolved government in Northern Ireland on a stable and durable basis".
04/27/04 07:38 EST
REVIEW TALKS RESUME IN BELFAST
The British and Irish governments will chair talks in Belfast today on the future of the Belfast Agreement as Sinn Féin continued to criticise a commission that threatened to name alleged senior IRA members. The review of the agreement was resuming at Stormont as the US special envoy to Northern Ireland arrived for discussions with the Assembly parties. The envoy, Mr Mitchell Reiss, was expected to hear Sinn Féin concerns about the impact on the peace process of last week's report by the Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC).
04/26/04 16:29 EST
COWEN WORKING TO ENSURE SAFETY OF COLOMBIA THREE
Ireland's Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr Brian Cowen said his department had been working today to ensure the safety of three Irishmen acquitted today on charges of training FARC rebels in Colombia. Mr. Cowen said he was assured that their departure from Colombia would be "facilitated in every way possible". Mr Cowen said he noted the judgment of the court and hoped the men would soon be reunited with their families whom, he said, had "borne the strain of their detention for such a long period."
04/26/04 12:25 EST
COLOMBIA THREE ACQUITTED ON TRAINING FARC CHARGES
Three Irishmen charged with training Marxist rebels in Colombia have been acquitted of the serious charges but were found guilty of the lesser charge of travelling using false documentation. Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams MP has welcomed the news from Colombia that Martin McCauley, Jim Monaghan and Niall Connolly are to be freed. He called on the government to ensure that the men get home safely to their families.
04/22/04 11:18 EST
BLAIR DEMANDS END TO PARAMILITARISM
Parties that want to be part of the government of Northern Ireland must be "clean" of any connections with paramilitary activity, British Prime Minister Tony Blair insisted today. Mr Blair told his monthly press conference at Downing Street the Independent Monitoring Commission, whose first report earlier this week called for financial penalties against republican and loyalist politicians linked to active paramilitary groups, would play a significant role in the peace process from now on.
04/20/04 10:47 EST
IMC PROPOSES SANCTIONS AGAINST SINN FEIN AND PUP
The International Monitoring Commission (IMC) claimed today that leading members of Sinn Féin are operating at the highest echelons of the IRA. It also backed an assessment by the PSNI that the IRA was behind the attempted kidnapping of a dissident republican in Belfast in February.
04/19/04 14:49 EST
ALL-PARTY DISCUSSIONS POSTPONED
Political talks planned for London next week involving all the Northern Ireland parties have been postponed. British Government sources said today that they still hoped to hold the discussions before the European elections in June. They added that more work was required.
04/14/04 11:01 EST
BRUTON ATTACKS EXISTANCE OF IRA
Former Irish premier John Bruton today backed ministerial attacks on the continued presence of the IRA. Echoing views expressed by current Justice Minister Michael McDowell, he also claimed: "The mere existence of the IRA is a crime." Mr Bruton, head of government in Dublin for three years from 1994, said questions about Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams ever being a member of the IRA or about the organisation`s involvement in crime were "beside the point".
04/12/04 04:44 EST
PEACEFUL BEGINNING TO MARCHING SEASON
There has been a peaceful, low key beginning to the "marching season" in Northern Ireland with a number of previously contentious parades passing off peacefully. The Protestant Apprentice Boys is holding three marches today; in Belfast, Derry and Castlederg. There are also republican parades in Belfast, Armagh, Downpatrick, Rasharkin, Maghera, Newry and Swatragh. There was no trouble at a small nationalist protest in Ardoyne against an Apprentice Boys' march. Police cordons separated the marchers and protesters.
04/01/04 13:48 EST
AHERN DISAPPOINTED AT BRITISH FOR FURTHER DELAY
The Irish Government has expressed its disappointment at the delay by the British government in establishing a public inquiry into the murder of Belfast human rights lawyer Pat Finucane. Following the publication of edited versions of four reports by retired Canadian judge Mr Peter Cory, the British government said it would move to immediately establish inquiries into three controversial cases involving alleged collusion.
2004-03-27 09:09:00 EST
TRIMBLE SEES OFF LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE
Ulster Unionist Party leader, Mr David Trimble has seen off another challenge to his leadership today by winning the backing of 60 per cent of delegates at the party's annual conference in Belfast. "I'm delighted that the party council has, by such a significant majority, re-elected me as leader," Mr Trimble told reporters after the result.
2004-03-20 08:06:00 EST
REISS CRITICIZES SINN FEIN POLICING POSITION
President Bush's special envoy to Northern Ireland Mitchell Reiss has accused Sinn Fein of "massive untruthfulness" in its portrayal of policing in Northern Ireland. Sinn Fein took out an advertisement in the New York Times on Monday highlighting the issues it had with the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
2004-03-15 08:48:00 EST
McGUINNESS BRIEFS KERRY ON PEACE PROCESS
US Presidential hopeful, Senator John Kerry has been briefed on the Northern Ireland peace process by Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness, it emerged today. The Democrats` candidate for the White House met Mr McGuinness in Boston last Friday where the Sinn Fein MP discussed the deadlock over devolution with opinion formers and political allies.
2004-03-04 10:26:00 EST
REPUBLICANS PROTEST AT AHERN SPEECH IN DERRY
Irish Premier Bertie Ahern was heckled by republicans today as he arrived in Derry to deliver a speech at the University of Ulster. About 10 Sinn Fein activists, including a number of councillors, waved placards calling on Mr Ahern to do more to support the peace process. However, the taoiseach told delegates inside Magee College that continuing republican violence was damaging hopes of reaching a final settlement in Northern Ireland.
2004-03-02 09:25:00 EST
UUP WITHDRAWS FROM BELFAST TALKS
The Ulster Unionist Party today pulled out of talks in Belfast seeking to restore devolved government to Northern Ireland. Party leader Mr David Trimble said the British government's failure to exclude Sinn Fein from the talks reviewing the workings of the Belfast Agreement following the alleged abduction of dissident republican Mr Bobby Tohill was "quite appalling".
2004-02-24 11:51:00 EST
UDA ANNOUNCES CEASEFIRE EXTENSION
The loyalist paramilitary Ulster Defence Association today claimed it has agreed to extend its ceasefire indefinitely. Even though the paramilitary organisation has been blamed for murders, beatings and drug dealing it insisted the socalled end to military operations first announced a year ago would continue.
2004-02-17 09:47:00 EST
KERRY ATTACKS BUSH ON IRELAND ISSUE
US President George Bush has been attacked by his main Democratic rival for pushing the Northern Ireland peace process down the White House's foreign policy agenda. In a comprehensive statement on the peace process circulated in recent weeks to Irish American groups, Democratic presidential hopeful Senator John Kerry criticised the rev Ian Paisley`s Democratic Unionists for "refusing to form a government with Sinn Fein".
2004-02-06 10:51:00 EST
DUP REVEALS DEVOLUTION PROPOSALS
The Democratic Unionist Party has said today that the Stormont Assembly could get up and running without prior IRA decommissioning. Dr Ian Paisley's party, in its latest proposals for reviewing the Belfast Agreement, said it would not share power with Sinn Féin unless the IRA finally engaged in acts of completion including total disarmament.
2004-02-05 11:45:00 EST
PAISLEY SAYS BLAIR MEETING WAS A GOOD START
Democratic Unionist Party leader the Rev Ian Paisley has described his party's meeting with British Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair at Downing Street today as a "good start". Dr Paisley and his team of MPs were putting their proposals for changes to the Belfast Agreement to Mr Blair. Central to their plans is a recommendation that power should rest with the 108-member Stormont Assembly as a whole, rather than the 12 ministers who governed before the power-sharing regime collapsed nearly 18 months ago.
2004-02-02 02:37:00 EST
US ENVOY TO MEET WITH NORTH'S PARTIES
The US President's special envoy to Northern Ireland is to meet the political parties ahead of the review of the Good Friday Agreement. Mitchell B Reiss, who was appointed to the role last December, is due to arrive in Belfast today. US officials said Dr Reiss, who takes over from Richard Haass, will be "in a listening mode" as he meets politicians taking part in the review which begins on Tuesday.
2004-01-31 11:58:00 EST
TRIMBLE VOWS TO REBUILD UUP
Mr David Trimble vowed today to rebuild his Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) following damaging defections to the Rev Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). Mr Trimble vented his anger at former colleagues who he accused of plotting resignations which have left the embattled party trailing behind their hardline rivals.
2004-01-29 12:54:00 EST
AHERN-PAISLEY MEETING CONSTRUCTIVE
Democratic Unionist leader Ian Paisley has held what he has described as a "very constructive" meeting with Irish premier Bertie Ahern. Today's meeting in London came ahead of the opening session of the review of the Good Friday Agreement on 3 February. The DUP's five MPs accompanied their leader to the meeting at the Irish Embassy in London.
2004-01-26 11:24:00 EST
CHARGES DROPPED IN STORMONT SPY RING CASE
Prosecutors in Northern Ireland have dropped their main charges against two Belfast republicans accused of involvement in an alleged IRA "spy ring" at Stormont. Sinn Féin's head of administration, Denis Donaldson, and his son-in-law, Ciaran Kearney, were originally charged with possessing documents of a secret, confidential or restricted nature that originated in government offices.
2004-01-19 01:23:00 EST
AHERN AND BLAIR TO DISCUSS AGREEMENT REVIEW
The Irish premier, Bertie Ahern, travels to London today to discuss the upcoming review of the Belfast Agreement. Mr Ahern and Mr Blair will meet for a working lunch, at which they will also address the negotiations on agreeing an EU constitution.
2004-01-09 14:20:00 EST
REBEL MP´S RESUME UUP WHIP
Two Ulster Unionist Party MPs who resigned the party whip last summer in protest at Mr David Trimble's pro-Belfast Agreement stance have resumed the whip, it has been announced. A short statement issued this evening said: "The officers are pleased to announce that the Rev Martin Smyth MP and David Burnside MP have resumed the Westminster Parliamentary Whip in accordance with the Constitution and Rules of the Ulster Unionist Council."
After a traumatic week for the Ulster Unionists, which saw Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson and two Assembly members join the Reverend Ian Paisley`s Democratic Unionists, Mr Burnside and the Reverend Smyth said they regretted their colleague`s decision.
2004-01-08 11:06:00 EST
GFA REVIEW TO BEGIN AT END OF MONTH
The review of the Good Friday Agreement could begin on 29 January. The target date emerged during talks in Dublin today between Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and the Alliance leader David Ford. The review could run until at least Easter but is likely to be interrupted by campaigning for the European elections in June.
NI Secretary Paul Murphy and Irish Foreign Minister Brian Cowen are set to meet this month to finalise the plans. The Alliance Party published its proposals for the review of the Good Friday Agreement yesterday.
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Read the full stories at The Irish American Information Service
Programme of the Irish Presidency
That is the theme of the Irish Presidency and this is reflected in the Work Programme for the Irish Presidency.
The Irish Presidency will see the historic enlargement of the European Union to include ten new Member States on 1 May 2004. This event marks an historic ending of the post-war division of Europe and it is important that this opportunity is taken to bring all Europeans together to build a better Europe for us all.
The Irish Presidency Programme has been drawn up in the context of the Multi-Annual Strategic Programme for 2004-2006 and the Operational Programme for the Council for 2004 which has been drawn up by the Irish and Dutch Presidencies.
The Irish Presidency Programme identifies four priority objectives. These are:
A successful enlargement of the EU to include 10 new Member States; Working Together for Economic Growth, with emphasis on pursuing the Lisbon Strategy to make Europe the most competitive economy in the world; A Safer Union, by developing the Union as an Area of Freedom, Security and Justice; Global Engagement with the Outside World. The EU will work towards the promotion of a fairer, peaceful and more secure world.
Source: www.eu2004.ie
If you wish to read the Irish Presidency programme in full, please click on the document below.
Work Programme of the Irish Presidency
Whips have an important role in party business within Parliament, par-ticularly when the voting strengths of the main parties are close, as in the 1992-1997 parliament. For major votes it is imperative for government and opposition to maximise the turnout, and the Whips try to ensure that every member from their party turns out to vote.
The duties of Whips include:
* keeping MPs and peers informed of forthcoming parliamentary busi-ness
* maintaining the party's voting strength by ensuring members attend important debates and support their party in parliamentary divisions
* passing on to the party leadership the opinions of backbench mem-bers.
The term 'whip' also applies to the weekly circular sent out by each Chief Whip to all their MPs or peers notifying them of parliamentary business.
Source: The UK Parliament
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.
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.
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.
Work Programme of the Irish Presidency, 2004.
An Irish bookshop: Read Ireland
Wesley Johnston's History of Ireland
The CAIN Project (The Northern Ireland Conflict)
Sinn Féin Homepage
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
North West Ireland - Gaoth Dobhair
The Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland
Ulster Unionist Party
The Irish Republican Socialist Party
Fine Gael
Ulster Democratic Unionist Party, DUP
Fianna Fáil
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?