The participants included the governments of the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom and eight political parties representing unionist, loyalist, nationalist, republican and cross-community constituencies in Northern Ireland. The US President Bill Clinton provided political support and encouragement.
Two other parties, Rev Dr Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionist Party and Bob McCartney's United Kingdom Unionist Party (having first contributed to the multi-party talks beginning in June 1996 that lead to the Agreement) boycotted them in protest at the presence of Sinn Féin who entered the multi-party negotiations in September 1997. Their voluntary exclusion meant that 43 per cent of the unionist electorate were outside the talks process when crucial elements of the Agreement were being negotiated. Senator George Mitchell described this tactic as "a fateful error". If the DUP and the UKUP had stayed within the process and fought from within, Senator Mitchell observed, "there would have been no agreement. Their absence freed the UUP from daily attacks at the negotiating table and gave the party room to negotiate."
The 65-page document is divided into three strands. Strand One deals with institutional arrangements in Northern Ireland; Strand Two with the relationships between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland and Strand Three with the relationships between both parts of Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom including the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.
The Agreement established a Human Rights Commission and an Equality Commission. It has a section on Economic, Social and Cultural Issues including: the advancement of women in public life; the promotion of the Irish language; promoting social inclusion and targeting social need; community development; reconciliation and victims of violence and new economic and regional development strategies. It deals with opposing claims to sovereignty and provides unionists and nationalists with equivalent rights of self-determination. People living in Northern Ireland can choose to be British or Irish or both.
The Belfast Agreement represents the most significant shift in party political positions since the partition of Ireland in 1921. For the first time in the history of the Troubles the British and Irish governments have radically addressed the conflict over opposing national identities by providing a framework within which the principle of consent will decide any future constitutional change.
A copy of the Agreement was sent to very house in Ireland and was ratified in joint referenda on 22 May 1998 with 71.12% in Northern Ireland and 94.4% in the Republic creating an all-Ireland majority of 85.4% in favour.
Michael Collins 1890-1922
Michael Collins is widely regarded as the most charismatic political leader in the history of twentieth century Ireland. His premature and violent death was deeply mourned at the time and has been regarded by many historians since as an irreparable loss for the newly independent nation
The Easter Rising
The Easter Rising was virtually confined to Dublin. The British capture of a shipment of German arms on 21st April 1916 greatly reduced its scale outside the capital. Moreover, confusion was caused by a rash of conflicting orders sent out to the Irish Volunteers – the main strike force - from their headquarters and the decision taken by the rebel leaders to postpone their action arranged for Easter Sunday 23rd April, until the next day.
Sinn Féin
Arthur Griffith helped found the Sinn Féin movement in 1905. Its formation was symptomatic of the emergence of a more militant nationalist spirit in Ireland. Its name ‘Ourselves’ indicated an emphasis on economic and cultural self-sufficiency, as well as political independence. Deriving his ideas from European experience, Griffith provided the organisation with its programme. He rejected force. To achieve nationalist aims, he advocated passive resistance. Irish MPs would withdraw from Westminster and form a national assembly in Ireland whose moral authority Irish people would recognise and the British government would, in time, ultimately be compelled to accept. In economic affairs, he urged the need for high protective tariffs so enabling Ireland to exploit its domestic market, develop its own resources, support itself and end emigration. By adopting these policies, Ireland would thus become an equal partner with England in a dual monarchy under the Crown.
