by Ed Moloney
Northern Sinn Fein leaders win ban on standing in council elections
Father Reid suffers a nervous breakdown
Death toll for year is 86, cumulative toll is 2281
1981
Second jail hunger strike starts
IRA prison leader Bobby Sands elected MP for Fermanagh–South Tyrone
When Sands dies Owen Carron is elected in his place
Two IRA prisoners elected to the Dail in Dublin
Qaddafi resumes cash payments to IRA
Hunger strike ends with ten deaths
IRA prisoners condemn behavior of Catholic Church, SDLP and Irish government during the prison protest
Hunger strike support committees become new Sinn Fein branches
Sinn Fein adopts “Armalite and ballot box” strategy and agrees to contest elections
Army Council endorses the decision
Christin ni Elias escapes possible IRA assassination along with British diplomat
Death toll for year is 117, cumulative toll is 2398
1982
Army Council allows Adams and McGuinness to stand in elections to new NI Assembly but McGuinness forced to quit as chief of staff while Adams stands down as adjutant-general, the last time he holds rank in the IRA
Ivor Bell becomes new chief of staff
Christin ni Elias forced out of Sinn Fein
Sinn Fein wins ten percent of the vote in Assembly elections, causing political sensation
UDR Sergeant Cochrane kidnapped and killed by IRA in South Armagh; Father Reid intercedes for him with Adams and begins discussions that lead to the peace process
Sinn Fein rejects Eire Nua policy in major defeat for O Bradaigh–O Conaill faction; Army Council had already ditched it
New Sinn Fein leadership dominated by Adams camp
Death toll for year is 112, cumulative toll is 2510
1983
Gerry Adams elected MP for West Belfast, Sinn Fein tops 100,000 votes in British general election
Adams succeeds Ruairi O Bradaigh as president of Sinn Fein as old guard is vanquished
Ivor Bell forced to quit as chief of staff after arrest
Kevin McKenna succeeds him
Cardinal O Fiach and Bishop Edward Daly of Derry write Father Reid letters of comfort supporting his talks with Adams
Bishop Cahal Daly of Down and Connor rejects offer of participation in talks with Adams-Reid group
Major IRA jail escape: 38 inmates break out of Maze, formerly Long Kesh
Fall of Kevin Mallon over botched IRA kidnappings
Death toll for year is 87, cumulative toll is 2597
1984
Adams makes his correspondence with Cahal Daly public
Libyan embassy in London closed after policewoman shot dead
Libyan intelligence service negotiates arms and cash deal with IRA Army Council
Sinn Fein vote falls in Euro election
Rebellion against Adams leadership by Ivor Bell and Belfast Brigade staff over resources devoted to elections fails
Army Council plans Irish “Tet offensive”
Through intermediaries Adams floats possibility of IRA ceasefire
Adams calls for a pan-nationalist political initiative
IRA bomb Grand Hotel, Brighton, killing five people attending
Conservative annual conference; Margaret Thatcher narrowly escapes death
Death toll for year is 72, cumulative toll is 2669
1985
Anglo-Irish Agreement signed; gives Dublin a consultative say in NI’s affairs.
Michael McKevitt appointed QMG and Slab Murphy made director of operations to oversee Libyan operation
Martin McGuinness made Northern Commander
Sinn Fein vote drops again in local council elections
Casamara makes two trips from Libya carrying seventeen tons of weapons
Adams publicly seeks talks with SDLP leader John Hume; he also calls for a united nationalist approach to North
Death toll for year is 58, cumulative toll is 2727
1986
Father Reid first approaches Charles Haughey on behalf of Gerry Adams
Contact may also have been opened at this point with Tory NI secretary of state, Tom King
Correspondence between Adams and King leads to secret British offer of talks with Sinn Fein and on terms for IRA cease-fire
Secret British letter tells Adams that London has no interests in NI and offers new definition of British withdrawal
IRA lift ban on taking seats in the Dail at first General Army Convention held since 1970; Sinn Fein follow suit at Ard Fheis—number of delegates nearly doubles for this one meeting
Qaddafi’s daughter killed in U.S. air raid launched from Britain
Kula ships 14 tons of guns from Libya
Villa ships 105 tons including Semtex explosives
Vetting of IRA operations by Northern Command intensifies
McGuinness secures authority to appoint Brigade and ASU OCs in North
McGuinness briefs IRA Executive and IRA field commanders about large arms shipments, saying more is on the way
Adams calls for public British declaration of no interests in NI
Death toll for year is 66, cumulative toll is 2793
1987
Charles Haughey becomes taoiseach after Fianna Fail returns to power
East Tyrone Brigade dissidents meet to discuss breaking away from IRA
Eksund trip is postponed when IRA learns Irish Army is expecting its arrival on east coast of country
Sinn Fein publish “Scenario for Peace,” calling for all-Ireland constitutional conference in line with Reid–Adams proposal and replaces “Brits Out” with demand for national self-determination
Jim Lynagh, East Tyrone commander, disputes with IRA chief of staff over Northern Command knowledge of planned Loughgall ambush
East Tyrone IRA unit wiped out in SAS ambush at Loughgall
Within days Father Reid sends detailed IRA cease-fire offer from Adams to Haughey outlining proposal for pannationalist alliance and acceptance of principle of consent to Irish unity
Later Reid formulates the “concrete proposals” and “stepping stones” documents outlining pan-nationalist political alliance as alternative to IRA violence and a constitutional convention to discuss settlement
On urging of Adams and McGuinness, Army Council orders Eksund to set sail; other members advised sending a smaller shipment to test for informers— Eksund is intercepted off Brittany coast, betrayed by IRA informer
IRA’s “Tet offensive” is drastically scaled down
Libyans cut off supplies of cash to IRA
MI6’s Michael Oatley approaches IRA leadership
Enniskillen cenotaph bomb, approved by Northern Command, kills eleven Protestants
Haughey arranges for Hume to represent Irish government in talks with Adams
IRA color party at Bodenstown commemoration demilitarized
IRA ends practice of firing shots over members’ coffins at IRA funerals
Death toll for year is 106, cumulative toll is 2899
1988
Army Council secretly softens terms for British withdrawal, saying it can take up to twenty years to happen
Adams tells Army Council of approach from Reid for talks with Haughey
Hume–Adams talk begin
SDLP–SF delegations meet and conclude with no agreement
Secret contacts between Hume and Adams resume immediately afterwards
IRA attempt to kill British Foreign Secretary Sir Geoffrey Howe in Brussels apparently betrayed
Gibraltar bombing ends with three IRA deaths amidst suspicion of betrayal
Republican leaders deny IRA cease-fire on the agenda of SDLP talks
Tom King suspends Reid–Adams dialogue in angry response to upsurge in IRA violence
Secret unionist–nationalist conference in Duisburg, Germany, attended by Father Reid
IRA adopt policy of t
argeting British military personnel as more acceptable to putative nationalist allies in Republic
Civilian deaths in IRA operations rise
IRA grassroots react badly to Sinn Fein leadership suggestions of alliance with SDLP
For first time police permission sought for Easter IRA parade in Belfast Sinn Fein use NI courts to complain of discriminatory treatment in councils
Sinn Fein members allowed to cooperate with Irish police over McAnespie Border killing by British army
Army Council lays down strict conditions for retaliations against loyalist groups
Death toll for year is 105, cumulative toll is 3004
1989
Sinn Fein criticism of botched IRA operations intensifies
Major IRA informer Joe Fenton killed before he can be fully interrogated
Peter Brooke succeeds Tom King as secretary of state and inherits Father Reid conduit to Adams
Brooke raises possibility of talks with Sinn Fein
IRA flying column attack at Derryard betrayed by informer
Grassroots IRA unease at Northern Command control increases
Death toll for year is 81, cumulative is 3085
1990
Adams threatens to quit IRA over civilian deaths and seeks separation of Sinn Fein and IRA
Revolutionary Council revived to curb IRA
Adams raises possibility of unannounced cease-fire
IRA dismisses speculation of an end to IRA violence
Brooke says Britain had “no selfish strategic or economic interest” in staying in NI
Northern Command secures Army Council permission to use “human bomb” tactic
MI5 officer John Deverill tells Brooke of new British linkman in secret talks with IRA
Danny Morrison arrested in Belfast
Martin McGuinness proposes formal Christmas cease-fire, the first official cessation since 1975
Army Council debates cease-fire amid claims it would need Convention approval
MI6 representative Michael Oatley holds talks with Army Council chairman, McGuinness
Death toll for year is 84, cumulative toll is 3169
1991
Massive criticism of “human bomb” attack in Derry intensifies secret contact between Martin McGuinness, Peace & Reconciliation Group and British aimed at de-escalating conflict in the city
Thatcher resigns as British prime minister
Sinn Fein says it will no longer speak for IRA
Haughey relaunches peace initiative with new British leader, John Major
First versions of joint government declaration on NI, otherwise known as Hume–Adams document, drafted
Death toll for year is 102, cumulative toll is 3271
1992
Adams loses West Belfast seat to SDLP after string of poor election performances by Sinn Fein
Haughey ousted, succeeded by Albert Reynolds, who backs process and keeps on Martin Mansergh as NI adviser
Sinn Fein publishes “Towards a Lasting Peace”
Hume–Adams document agreed but omits time period for British withdrawal
Death toll for year is 91, cumulative toll is 3362
1993
Hume–Adams contacts publicly revealed for first time
Sinn Fein’s vote rises for first time in a decade
British send Army Council “Nine Pointer” insisting on “agreed accommodation”
Army Council reject “Nine Pointer”
Adams persuades Army Council not to end talks with British
Army Council replies to British with demand for withdrawal
Army Council begins to vet operations and bans commercial bombing
New drafts of Hume–Adams fail to bridge gap over Army Council demand for timescale for British withdrawal
Irish prime minister, Albert Reynolds, negotiates separate document with British, called Downing Street Declaration (DDS)
Shankill bomb kills nine Protestants and one IRA man
Adams carries coffin of Shankill bomber
Loyalist violence claims sixteen lives
Death toll for year is 90, cumulative toll is 3452
1994
Army Council rejects DSD
Adams persuades Council to hide decision and seek clarification
McGuinness says DSD worthless unless it has a hidden meaning
IRA and Sinn Fein grassroots assured of no cease-fire
IRA mini-Convention opposes cease-fire
Reynolds lifts Irish broadcasting ban on Sinn Fein
Bill Clinton grants Adams 48-hour visa for trip to New York
Think tank develops TUAS strategy offering cease-fire in return for pan-nationalist alliance
Reynolds send 14-point cease-fire proposal to Army Council
Army Council votes five to one with one abstention for four-month cease-fire
British make working assumption cease-fire is permanent; Border roads reopened, broadcasting ban lifted
Army Council disowns South Armagh post office robbery
British raise IRA decommissioning demand and NI Secretary Sir Patrick Mayhew outlines, “Washington Three” demands
McGuinness says he would accept less than Irish unity if this was will of Irish people
Army Council extends cease-fire until April 1995
Death toll for year is 69, cumulative toll is 3521
1995
Adams would accept Stormont Assembly if “transitional” to Irish unity
“Frameworks” document foresees power-sharing government and North–South bodies
West Belfast Westminster seat redrawn to favor Adams reelection chances
Republican grassroots assured cease-fire is temporary
British harden demand for IRA decommissioning before Sinn Fein gets into talks
Clinton gives Adams visa to raise funds in United States
Reynolds government falls, replaced by anti-Sinn Fein Rainbow Coalition
British propose political talks and decommissioning body in tandem
Fifty percent remission restored to IRA prisoners
IRA statement says “no possibility of disarmament except as part of a negotiated settlement”
First British troop withdrawals
Adams tells republican demonstration that IRA hasn’t gone away
Senator George Mitchell to head decommissioning body
DAAD killings a cover for IRA
Sinn Fein make submission to Mitchell body
McGuinness suggests voluntary self-decommissioning
IRA calls decommissioning issue “a deliberate and stalling tactic” by British, saying demand is “ludicrous” and adding that it would not happen “either through the front or back doors”
Friends of Sinn Fein set up in United States as Noraid is downgraded
IRA calls demand for decommissioning “untenable and unattainable demand for an IRA surrender”
Death toll for year is 9, cumulative toll is 3530
1996
IRA Executive calls for extraordinary IRA Convention to discuss peace process
Army Council votes seven to nil to end cease-fire
Senator Mitchell publishes six principles of non-violence to govern political talks
Huge truck bomb kills two and causes 100 million damage at Canary Wharf, London
IRA campaign confined to England
Election to negotiating body see Sinn Fein win highest vote ever as nationalists try to strengthen Adams’s hand
On eve of delayed Convention car bombs exploded inside British army’s NI HQ, killing one
Adams survives Convention when dissidents fail to capture Army Council but suffers setbacks
Power to decommission taken away from Army Council and given to Convention
McGuinness tells Convention there will be no second cease-fire
Brian Keenan deserts dissidents at Convention and backs Adams
Death toll for year is 22, cumulative toll is 3552
1997
McGuinne
ss steps down as Northern Commander but retains Army Council chairmanship
IRA ordered to concentrate on British military targets, commercial bombings again banned
Adams writes letter of condolence to mother of British soldier killed by South Armagh IRA sniper squad
South Armagh sniper squad arrested
British general election called
Army Council authorizes “tactical period of quiet” for election but doesn’t tell Executive
Tony Blair wins huge majority as New Labour forms new British government
McGuinness wins Mid-Ulster seat
British aide-mémoire sets out terms for new IRA cease-fire
Political talks and IRA decommissioning to happen in parallel
IRA mini-Convention rejects aide-mémoire
McGuinness tells Executive there will be no second cease-fire
Fianna Fail wins election in Republic; Bertie Ahern becomes taoiseach
Ahern government sets out terms for new cease-fire
Four days before controversial Garvaghy Orange march Army Council votes seven to nil for second cease-fire; decision kept secret for several weeks
March forced through Catholic area
IRA Executive and Army Council clash over cease-fire decision
In a row over the Mitchell principles the Executive suggests Adams et al. should quit IRA to enable Sinn Fein participation political talks
Dissidents defeated at Convention
Belfast Brigade commander Brian Gillen switches sides to back Adams and wins Army Council seat
Kevin McKenna loses job as chief of staff, Slab Murphy takes over
Executive members, led by QMG Micky McKevitt, quit IRA
Real IRA formed
All-party talks start at Stormont; Sinn Fein attend and subscribe to Mitchell principles
Death toll for year is 21, cumulative toll 3573
1998
Good Friday Agreement negotiated
Pope welcomes agreement
IRA Convention lifts abstentionist ban on taking seats in Stormont Assembly
