National Archives 1985: John Hume sought talks with the IRA Army Council

John Hume wanted to have talks with the IRA Army Council in what senior government officials thought was a plan for a public and damaging confrontation.

State papers released under the 30-year rule showed that Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald thought the idea had “torn the mask” from Gerry Adams’ claims that Sinn Féin was independent of the Provisionals. Ultimately, the idea was abandoned, with the SDLP leader not sitting down secretly with Mr Adams until 1988.

However, documents from the taoiseach’s office and the Department of Foreign Affairs in 1985 reveal mixed emotions about Mr Hume’s desire to talk to the terrorists. One of the deepest insights into his thinking came after Seán Donlon, who was central to the Anglo-Irish negotiations, sat down with Mr Hume on January 25. In his memo to the taoiseach, he suggested support for the Provos may have peaked and that they had run into “obvious military difficulties”. He said Mr Hume only wanted talks with “those who really called the shots”. Other documents recall how the SDLP leader branded Mr Adams a “puppet”. Mr Donlon wrote: