Talks sought on arms of N. Ireland rivals Unmoved In an Ulster town, hate still thrives Approval A resounding vote for Irish peace Reaction Around world, peace process seen as model The future Next steps in Northern Ireland peace process Most N. Ireland politicians hail ''Yes'' Boston's Irish are cautiously optimistic In the Irish voting, a Protestant factor Mike Barnicle It's a special dawn for John Hume, peacemonger 'I must do this for her' 'Education is the true liberator' Where it's too late for peace Prejudice from a pulpit: Paisley's grip weak Chronology The long road to N. Irish peace pact The process The long, bloody path to Irish peace 04/19/98 Belfast Accord reached 'New beginning' hailed Excerpts from Accord Honoring the dead 'through a fresh start' Past attempts Previous compromises in Northern Ireland Photo Gallery: Pictures from Belfast Saturday, May 23 The Irish Times The N. Ireland Office Sinn Fein Ulster Unionist Party Social Democ. & Labour Party Weekly Health | Science (Mon.) Food (Wed.) Calendar (Thu.) At Home (Thu.) Sunday Focus Learning Travel Real Estate Automotive Sunday Magazine City Weekly South Weekly West Weekly North Weekly NorthWest Weekly NH Weekly Features Archives Book Reviews Columns Comics Crossword Horoscopes Death Notices Lottery Movie Reviews Music Reviews Obituaries Today's stories A-Z TV & Radio Weather Classifieds Cars Classifieds Help Wanted Real Estate Help Contact the Globe Send us feedback Alternative views Low-graphics version Acrobat version (.pdf) Search the Globe: Today Yesterday Search the Web Using Lycos:

Northern Ireland's past efforts at compromise By Associated Press, 04/10/98 orthern Ireland's history has been littered with failed political initiatives. A brief history: 1972: Britain abolishes Northern Ireland's Protestant-dominated parliament at Stormont _ preserve of the Ulster Unionist Party since 1921 _ and institutes ``direct rule'' from London. Northern Ireland's bloodiest year, with 470 killed. 1973: British and Irish governments and compromise-minded Northern Ireland politicians sign Sunningdale accord creating a Northern Ireland Executive in which Ulster Unionists would share Cabinet power with the major Catholic party, the Social Democratic and Labor Party, and cross-community Alliance Party. 1974: Many Protestants oppose Sunningdale accord on grounds Executive will cooperate with the Irish Republic in a new Council of Ireland. Protestant general strike across Northern Ireland shuts roads, electricity, water. Executive collapses; British ``direct rule'' resumes. 1975: Elections to a Constitutional Convention aimed at hammering out compromise system for government; more the half the seats won by unionists opposed to sharing power and committed to restoring old Stormont system; convention collapses with no agreement next year. 1981: Britain and Irish prime ministers form Intergovernmental Council promoting cooperation. 1982: Britain holds election to new Northern Ireland Assembly in which politicians would work out plans for self-government. IRA-allied Sinn Fein party runs for first time in Northern Ireland election. Both SDLP and Sinn Fein then boycott Assembly on grounds it doesn't have Irish unity on agenda. Protestants and Alliance Party run powerless Assembly until Britain pulls plug in 1986. 1985: British and Irish prime ministers sign Anglo-Irish Agreement giving Irish Republic formal role in shaping Britain's policies in Northern Ireland for first time. 1991: Britain launches multiparty talks with goal of forging new assembly for Northern Ireland, new relations between north and south of Ireland, and new agreement between Britain and Ireland. Talks end inconclusively next year.

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