Item 67 - Typed notes compiled by Ruairí Ó Brádaigh relating to the 1975 bi-lateral truce and negotiations between the Republican movement (Provisional I.

c. 150 pp

Typed notes compiled by Ruairí Ó Brádaigh relating to the 1975 bi-lateral truce and negotiations between the Republican movement (Provisional I.R.A. and Sinn Féin) and the British Government. These notes were typed from handwritten drafts (POL28/25-66) and were clearly typed on three different machines possibly at different times. The notes include an explanation of the background to the talks which began after a 25 day unilateral cease fire by the I.R.A. which expired on 16 January 1975. The first formal meeting took place on 18 January 1975. Includes 12 terms for a bi-lateral truce issued by the Republican Movement for a bi-lateral truce dated 20 January 1975. Also 12 'initial and off the cuff reactions' by A. and O. and also a 9 point statement by Merlyn Rees secretary of state for Northern Ireland handed over at a meeting held on 22 February 1975. Also includes a transcript of Merlyn Rees statement on the Gardiner Committee Report. The report dealt with detention, special category prisoners and the Emergency Provisions Act generally.' The meeting notes also deal with the setting up of incident centres. A number of formal meetings concerned 'point six' which related to the right of 'members of the Republican Movement to carry short arms solely for the purpose of self-defence'. An entry headed 'Instructions (During the 1st Fortnight of April 1975)' which were instructions to Ó Brádaigh from the leadership states that General King's 'statement at Nottingham in which he criticised the British Government policy in maintaining the truce and releasing the internees raises the question of who is in charge in the six counties, H.M.G. or B.A. Generals?'. According to the notes relating to a formal meeting with representatives of the British Government dated 14 May 1975 'the shooting of the R.U.C. man in Derry was a totally disproportionate action to the arrest of Shane Doherty. They regard it as an act of political folly because no government can afford to appear to accept that type of incident and hope to survive.' According to a report on a meeting between S. and B. (A representative of the British Government) dated 24 May 1975, both A. and B. concede that R.M. has won; the job now is to get the British out gently.' Also includes notes from S. to L. (Leadership?) which state that 'The present British policy is in ruins. They had hoped for a longer period of time in the life of the Convention to enable them to pursue and if possible complete their policy of "silent withdrawal". The final entry is dated '10 or 11th' 1976 and was clearly typed some time after the other entries.

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27/06/2013
24/07/2025