Garret FitzGerald made an impassioned appeal to Margaret Thatcher to save their talks on the future of the North, warning that failure could trigger a civil war that would “drag down” the entire island, according to newly-released official papers.

Garret FitzGerald made an impassioned appeal to Margaret Thatcher to save their talks on the future of Northern Ireland, warning that failure could trigger a civil war that would “drag down” the entire island, according to newly-released official papers.

The death of Ian Paisley brings back memories of a difficult time on this island, writes Fergus Finlay

The public nature of Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh’s latest visit to the North reflects changing times in the region, Stormont’s First Minister has said.

Northern Ireland’s First Minister Peter Robinson has requested the recall of the devolved Assembly after claiming a government deal that saw IRA terror suspects assured they would not be prosecuted also involved the granting of royal pardons.

The Minister for Justice and his Northern Counterpart have met to discuss on-going cross border co-operation across a range of criminal justice matters.

A public inquiry into the infamous Omagh bombing would uncover "unnerving secrets" of security force failings, one of those bereaved by the atrocity said.

The one time I ever met her at Hillsborough Castle, she seemed refreshingly human, a very dignified — if surprisingly petite — lady with a wide open smile. I noted wryly the number of devout nationalists who at least nodded, if not quite bowed, when introduced to her.

What are three things you can’t live without?

The leaders of the Orange Order will meet in the North tomorrow to select a new figurehead, with senior official Edward Stevenson tipped to take over.

An Northern Ireland Assembly bid to protect the Irish language failed tonight.

The British Queen has arrived in the North today for a two-day visit.

A hardline revolt in the Orange Order was tonight blamed for its dramatic decision to reject a new system for overseeing controversial parades in the North.

Alliance Party leader David Ford was selected as the North’s new Justice Minister today after policing and justice powers were devolved from Westminster to the Stormont Assembly.

The decision of the Northern Ireland Assembly to agree to the devolution of policing and justice powers will build on the gains of the peace process, the British and Irish governments said today.

Pressure was mounting on the Ulster Unionists today to drop their opposition to the landmark deal to devolve policing powers to the North after a new government poll indicated sizeable public support for the move.

Orangemen will be urged by their leaders today to back key parading proposals linked to the landmark deal to devolve law and order powers to the North.

An Assembly working group set up to map a new way forward for dealing with disputed parades in the North will complete its work today amid growing calls for its proposals to be made public.

Over half of respondents to a poll in the Belfast Telegraph believe Peter Robinson should resign as First Minister and DUP leader because of revelations about his personal life.

Sinn Féin was accused tonight by First Minister Peter Robinson of breaking the spirit and letter of the recent political agreement in the North.

Presbyterian Mutual Society (PMS) savers in the North suffered a fresh blow today after a judge ruled that those with less than £20,000 (€23,025) should not receive interim payments from the administrators.

The SDLP's Alban Maginness was today nominated to become the first justice minister in the Northern Ireland Executive.

THE North pulled back from political paralysis last night as the last key element of the peace process was finally agreed.

THE coffee shop opposite Hillsborough castle is called Humble Pie – but for once, Sinn Féin and the DUP did not try to force each other to eat such a dish during their marathon negotiations.

An Taoiseach Brian Cowen and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown will travel to Belfast today to formally announce details of the deal to save the North’s power-sharing government.

A deal is very close on policing and justice in the North, Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin said today.

There are reports of developments in the negotiations between Sinn Féin and the DUP this afternoon.

Democratic Unionist members were locked in lengthy internal discussions today on whether they will sign up to a deal that could save the North's power-sharing government.

Marathon talks to save the North's crisis-hit power-sharing government entered a sixth day today.

Talks aimed at saving the North’s power-sharing government have moved into a fifth night after discussions passed a deadline for agreement today with no sign of imminent success.

Sinn Féin negotiators have left talks at Hillsborough Castle to meet with party colleagues.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen has cancelled a scheduled engagement in Meath today and has cleared his diary of other meetings, prompting speculation that both he and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown could be poised to return to Hillsborough Castle.

DUBLIN and London were preparing to publish their own route-map out of the policing crisis paralysing power-sharing last night as Sinn Féin and the DUP were again deadlocked over the issue.

SDLP leader Mark Durkan said he still thinks a deal can be done on policing and justice in the North.

The leaders of Ireland's four main churches today urged politicians to redouble their efforts in talks to save the future of the Stormont power-sharing government.

THE two premiers deserved A for effort, but still walked away from the latest Northern drama with an F for failure.

POWER sharing was hanging by a thread last night as Brian Cowen and his British counterpart abandoned their effort to end the Northern crisis over policing and parades.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown today said a crunch summit to save the North’s power sharing government had failed to secure a settlement but insisted a “pathway” to an agreement had been laid.

A BREAKTHROUGH deal to keep power-sharing alive was tantalisingly close last night as both sides in the Northern stand-off were bluntly told to “share pain”.

PARADES and emblems continued to dominate proceedings as each delegation paraded in and out of Hillsborough Castle demanding the emblematic capitulation of the other.

Talks to save the North's power-sharing government remained unresolved tonight as Taoiseach Brian Cowen and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown headed into their second night of negotiations.

It is too soon to tell if a deal will be clinched on devolving policing and justice powers to the North, the leader of the Democratic Unionists warned today.

CRISIS negotiations fuelled by a frantic diplomatic push, which saw the Taoiseach and his British counterpart rush to Belfast to try and prevent a collapse of power-sharing, spilled into a second tense day as both leaders dug in for a deal.

The future of Northern Ireland’s power-sharing government hung in the balance tonight as the British and Irish premiers committed themselves to lengthy talks to secure a rescue deal.