Source material

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.

Source material

Cardinal Tomás Ó Fiaich Library & Archive

Details

A small selection of papers held in the Cardinal Tomás Ó Fiaich Library & Archive and selected by Ian McBride for their relevance to the drafting of the Downing Street Declaration.

Associated with

41 events.

Resource Collections (0):

None

Associated events (41)

Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Reid-Ó Fiaich-Murray, Date: 01 Apr 1989, 12:00
Proposal for a Democratic Over-all Political and Diplomatic Strategy

People: Alec Reid
Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Hume-Adams, Date: 23 Mar 1988, 12:00
Sinn Fein and the SDLP have been involved in a political dialogue aimed at examining the possibilities for the development of an overall political strategy to establish justice and and peace in Ireland. Several meetings have taken place since then both...
Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Hume-Adams, Date: 23 Mar 1988, 12:00
Tom Hartley

People: Tom Hartley
Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Hume-Adams, Date: 23 Mar 1988, 12:00
Danny Morrison

People: Danny Morrison
Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Hume-Adams, Date: 23 Mar 1988, 12:00
Mitchel McLaughlin

People: Mitchel McLaughlin
Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Hume-Adams, Date: 23 Mar 1988, 12:00
Seamus Mallon

People: Seamus Mallon
Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Hume-Adams, Date: 23 Mar 1988, 12:00
Sean Farren

People: Sean Farren
Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Hume-Adams, Date: 23 Mar 1988, 12:00
Austin Currie

People: Austin Currie
Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Hume-Adams, Date: 23 Mar 1988, 12:00
Sinn Fein Gerry Adams Tom Hartley Danny Morrison Mitchel McLaughlin SDLP John Hume Seamus Mallon Sean Farren Austin Currie
Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Hume-Adams, Date: 23 Mar 1988, 12:00
Preparation of Written Responses to Papers
Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Hume-Adams, Date: 23 Mar 1988, 12:00
Following this our sub-committee met weekly to discuss this meeting and to draft answers to the questions asked of us. A considerable proportion of Ard Chomhairle time was also taken up with the Sinn Féin/SDLP dialogue.
Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Hume-Adams, Date: 13 Jun 1988, 12:00
[Editors' Note: The meeting ended. This was the final formal meeting between the two parties at this point. The leaders met again to conclude the process on 11 July and 22 August 1988 and agreed public statements. Afterwards, they appeared to continue...
Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Hume-Adams, Date: 13 Jun 1988, 12:00
[Editors' note: Austin Currie left the negotiation.]

People: Austin Currie
Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Hume-Adams, Date: 13 Jun 1988, 12:00
[Editors' note: Sean Farren left the negotiation.]

People: Sean Farren
Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Hume-Adams, Date: 13 Jun 1988, 12:00
[Editors' note: Séamus Mallon left the negotiation.]

People: Seamus Mallon
Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Hume-Adams, Date: 13 Jun 1988, 12:00
[Editors' note: Mitchel McLaughlin left the negotiation.]

People: Mitchel McLaughlin
Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Hume-Adams, Date: 13 Jun 1988, 12:00
[Editors' note: Danny Morrison left the negotiation.]

People: Danny Morrison
Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Hume-Adams, Date: 11 Jul 1988, 12:01
Agree to Review Progress

People: John Hume
Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Hume-Adams, Date: 22 Aug 1988, 12:00
At a subsequent meeting between the two party leaders which took place on August 22nd,
Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Hume-Adams, Date: 22 Aug 1988, 12:00
Proposed Joint Statement

People: Gerry Adams
Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Hume-Adams, Date: 22 Aug 1988, 12:00
Remove 'Since February 1988'
Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Hume-Adams, Date: 22 Aug 1988, 12:00
[Editors' Note: The text was crossed out.]
Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Hume-Adams, Date: 22 Aug 1988, 12:00
SDLP wouldn't agree to publish it as a joint statement. [Editors' Note: Handwritten annotation on the document.]
Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Reid-Ó Fiaich-Murray, Date: 01 Jan 1989, 00:00
Proposal for a Meeting to Agree a Common Nationalist Policy for Peace
Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Reid-Ó Fiaich-Murray, Date: 01 Jan 1988, 00:00
Notes on N.I.O. Position

People: Alec Reid
Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Reid-Ó Fiaich-Murray, Date: 01 Jan 1988, 00:00
Notes on NIO Position on Government of Ireland Act

People: Alec Reid
Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Irish Government, Date: 01 Jan 1989, 00:00
[Editors' Note: Martin Mansergh's discussions with Alec Reid began in February 1988*. This document is thought to have been written by Mansergh and sent to Reid as part of on-going discussions on Reid's proposals. This version, edited by Reid, is held...

People: Martin Mansergh
Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Irish Government, Date: 01 Jan 1989, 00:00
[Editors' Note: The document was sent to Father Alec Reid.]
Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Reid-Ó Fiaich-Murray, Date: 01 Jan 1989, 00:00
Discussion Paper Outlining Principles for a Solution and Proposals for a Peace Forum
Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Reid-Ó Fiaich-Murray, Date: 01 Jan 1989, 00:00
Reid Amendments: Discussion Paper Outlining Principles for a Solution and Proposals for a Peace Forum

People: Alec Reid
Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Reid-Ó Fiaich-Murray, Date: 01 Jan 1989, 00:00
[Editors' Note: Alec Reid's amendments were recorded.]
Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Reid-Ó Fiaich-Murray, Date: 01 Apr 1989, 12:00
Proposals for a Democratic Over-all Political and Diplomatic Strategy for Justice and Peace

People: Alec Reid
Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Reid-Ó Fiaich-Murray, Date: 01 Apr 1989, 12:00
[Editors' Note: The additional proposals were added.]
Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Irish Government, Date: 01 Jan 1989, 00:00
Discussion Paper Outlining Principles for a Solution and Proposals for a Peace Forum

People: Martin Mansergh
Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Reid-Ó Fiaich-Murray, Date: 01 Apr 1989, 12:00
Proposal for a Democratic Over-all Political and Diplomatic Strategy

People: Alec Reid
Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Reid-Ó Fiaich-Murray, Date: 01 Apr 1989, 12:00
[Editors' Note: The various versions of the proposals at this stage are difficult to sequence as they are undated. Some may have been prepared in parallel.]
Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Reid-Ó Fiaich-Murray, Date: 23 Oct 1989, 12:00
Proposal for a Democratic Over-all Political and Diplomatic Strategy

People: Alec Reid
Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Reid-Ó Fiaich-Murray, Date: 23 Oct 1989, 12:00
[Editors' Note: The final amendments to the proposals were made.]
Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Reid-Ó Fiaich-Murray, Date: 23 Oct 1989, 12:00
Proposal for a Democratic Over-all Political and Diplomatic Strategy for Justice, Peace and Reconciliation

People: Alec Reid
Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Reid-Ó Fiaich-Murray, Date: 23 Oct 1989, 12:00
[Editors' Note: The final version of the text was agreed prior to circulation.]
Northern Ireland Downing Street Joint Declaration (1993), Committee: Reid-Ó Fiaich-Murray, Date: 01 Jan 1989, 00:00
[Editors' Note: Father Reid shared documents with Tomás Ó Fiaich during this period.]

People: Tomás Ó Fiaich