Quill Project

Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993)

This project models the series of formal and informal negotiations which led to the publication, in December 1993, of a declaration issued jointly by the British and Irish Governments. The Joint Declaration was a critical policy document which paved the way for a ceasefire and the entry of Sinn Féin into formal talks. It also laid out a shared set of principles – including, crucially, self-determination for the people of Ireland subject to the consent of the people of Northern Ireland – which would come to underpin the Belfast Good Friday Agreement and provide a framework for its ratification.

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SDLP

This is one of the 8 delegations in the convention, accounting for 4 of 112 people who took part.

Members (4):

Name	Visualize	Details	Delegations
Austin Currie	Visualize	Joseph Austin Currie. Born 11 October 1939. During the 1960s Currie became an active member of the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association. In 1964 he was elected as a MP for East Tyrone. Co-founded the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) in 1970. Currie was a SDLP member of the short-lived Northern Ireland Assembly from 1973 to 1974. Elected in 1982 to the Northern Ireland Assembly for the Fermanagh and South Tyrone constituency. Joined Fine Gael in 1989, and was elected as a TD for Dublin West in the same year.	SDLP (This negotiation)
Sean Farren	Visualize	Sean Nial Farren. Born 6 September 1939. Politically involved with the SDLP, 1970s-onwards. Elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly for the SDLP for North Antrim, 1982. Elected to the Northern Ireland Forum, 1996. Elected to Northern Ireland Assembly, 1998. SDLP delegate to the 1996-1998 multi-party talks and a member of the support team.	Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) (Northern Ireland All-Party Talks June 1996 - April 1998) , Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) (Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue) , Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) (Northern Ireland Brooke/Mayhew Talks 1991-1992) , SDLP (This negotiation)
John Hume	Visualize	John Hume; KCSG. Born 18 January 1937; died 3 August 2020. Founding member of the SDLP. SDLP leader, 1979-2001. Served as Member of the European Parliament, 1979-2004. MP for Foyle, 1969-72, 1983-2005. MLA for Foyle, 1998-2000. An SDLP delegate to the 1996-1998 talks and a member of the negotiating team. Nobel Peace Prize laureate.	Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) (Northern Ireland All-Party Talks June 1996 - April 1998) , Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) (Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue) , Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) (Northern Ireland Brooke/Mayhew Talks 1991-1992) , SDLP (This negotiation)
Seamus Mallon	Visualize	Seamus Frederick Mallon. Born 17 August 1936; died 24 January 2020. SDLP delegate to the 1996-1998 multi-party talks and a member of the negotiating team. SDLP delegate to the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue for Newry and Armagh. Deputy Leader of the SDLP, 1979-2001. MP for Newry and Armagh, 1986-2005. Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, 1998-2001.	Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) (Northern Ireland All-Party Talks June 1996 - April 1998) , Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) (Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue) , Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) (Northern Ireland Brooke/Mayhew Talks 1991-1992) , SDLP (This negotiation)