History of backchannel talks and nascent peace processes in Northern Ireland
Event Type: Branch
Takes Place: 16th October 2025
Time: 20:00
Venue: Fellowship House, 136a Willifield Way, London NW11 6YD
Description: While often shrouded in secrecy, between 1972 and 1992 a series of secret, deniable and often unofficial talks between UK government officials and paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland took place. Although one of these, the contact between MI6 (and later Mi5) and the republican intermediary Brendan Duddy, is now well known, a wider view of who was making contact with whom, when and where, reveals the context of these and other talks as part of efforts to variously understand the Troubles, disrupt the terrorist groups and eventually, to communicate broader intentions between each other. This talk therefore looks at secret backchannels in their wider form as used in Northern Ireland to communicate with both Republican and Loyalist paramilitaries and to evaluate their role in both guiding and as a part of wider government strategy.
How to book: Just turn up, or email for Zoom details
Price: £5 for visitors.
Tel: 07818063594
Email: mandycaller@googlemail.com
Organiser: Mandy Caller
Lecturer: Dr Tony Craig
Comments: Fellowship House members pay £2 . All branch and national HA members are free. Email address above for 2025/6 branch membership
Region: London
Branch: Hampstead and North West London