As part of the ongoing collaboration between the National Archives of Ireland and Ulster University’s CAIN (Conflict Archive on the Internet) project, a batch of 640 newly released documents, covering events relating to Northern Ireland between 1989 and 1991, has been added to the CAIN Archive as part of an ongoing partnership between Ulster University and the National Archives of Ireland (NAI). This brings the total number of NAI documents available on CAIN to over 6,200 items, now freely accessible to the public
Between 1989 and 1991, Northern Ireland remained deeply entrenched in the conflict known as the Troubles. Paramilitary violence continued, public trust in the justice system was shaken, and diplomatic efforts were intensifying.
Among the newly released materials are three key documents that reflect the complexity of Anglo-Irish relations, the challenges of managing public order during the marching season, and the evolving British approach to resolving the conflict.
Managing the marching season – June 1989
A detailed aide memoire from the Anglo-Irish Secretariat outlines concerns raised by the nationalist community regarding the annual marching season. The document highlights areas across Northern Ireland where parades and bonfires were seen as potential flashpoints, including Belfast, Portadown, Lurgan, Derry, and Rasharkin, among others.
The memo notes:
“Proper and sensitive policing, and rerouting parades away from nationalist areas, works very well and enables the Unionist community to exercise its right to march in a peaceful way.”
Key recommendations included:
- Rerouting parades away from nationalist areas to reduce tensions.
- Sensitive policing to avoid escalation.
- Monitoring the impact of demographic changes on traditional parade routes.
The document reflects the Irish Government’s efforts to engage with British counterparts to ensure public safety and community respect during a highly charged cultural period.
Collins, P. (1989). ‘The Marching Season – Aide Memoire’, plus covering note, (14 June 1989)
Speculative analysis of British political thinking – December 1990
A confidential memo authored by Dermot Gallagher of the Department of the Taoiseach offers speculative but insightful analysis of shifting British attitudes toward Northern Ireland. Based on informal conversations and diplomatic observations, the memo suggests:
- A reassessment of the Anglo-Irish Agreement, with British officials potentially exploring alternatives.
- Deep security anxieties, particularly regarding the capacity of the Provisional IRA to sustain violence.
- Possible British interest in engaging with Sinn Féin or the IRA, either directly or via intermediaries.
It also reflects on the opportunity presented by John Major’s accession as Prime Minister:
“Major has no fixed views or indeed little knowledge about Northern Ireland… Unionist rhetoric… will sit uneasily with his pragmatism.”
The memo concludes with a strategic recommendation:
“There may therefore be merit… in beginning work on our own set of ideas which could be tabled at short notice if circumstances seemed to warrant this.”
Government response to the release of the Birmingham Six – March 1991
In a powerful statement issued by the Department of the Taoiseach, the Irish Government welcomed the release of the Birmingham Six, who had spent 16 years wrongfully imprisoned.
“The Government very warmly welcome today’s release of the Birmingham Six and the final vindication of their innocence… These feelings are mixed with sadness at the length of time these innocent men spent in prison.”
The statement also called for justice and reform:
“An immediate first step at this stage must be for the British authorities to ensure that the level of compensation paid to the Six is commensurate with the scale of the injustice endured.”
This document sits alongside other records relating to the Guildford Four and Maguire case, marking a period of reckoning with the British justice system and its treatment of Irish citizens.
Explore the documents
These documents, now available through the CAIN Archive, provide a rich resource for researchers, educators, and anyone interested in the political and social history of Northern Ireland. They offer a window into the behind-the-scenes diplomacy, public sentiment, and strategic thinking that shaped the peace process in its early stages.