State Papers: Bruton rubbished game hunting bonding trip for NI leaders

Proposals to host Northern Ireland’s political leaders at a remote game reserve in South Africa for a bonding exercise to advance the peace process was described as a "rubbish" idea by Taoiseach John Bruton.

An unusual proposal to break the log-jam in peace negotiations in Northern Ireland offered that leaders of the main political parties from the  North could participate collectively in “a midnight game-hunting expedition in South Africa.

An unusual proposal to host a meeting of Northern Ireland’s political leaders at a remote game reserve in South Africa in February 1997 as part of the peace talks process was labelled “rubbish” by the Taoiseach, John Bruton.

The bizarre plans also included the recommendations that leaders of the main political parties from Northern Ireland could participate collectively in “a midnight game-hunting expedition.” “The mind boggles” was the response of Mr Bruton to what presumably was the mental image of Ian Paisley, Gerry Adams and David Trimble on safari in South Africa.

Secret files released by the National Archives show the Taoiseach was unimpressed by the initiative for Northern Ireland political leaders to gather in South Africa to create a fresh momentum towards an agreement on decommissioning and new political structures.

Mr Bruton’s reactions to the proposal was recorded in one briefing note as,

“This is rubbish. It is the sort of indulgence that adds to the problem.” 

The Taoiseach was also opposed to the idea of any foreign junket for parties that had been reluctant to engage in the efforts of the Irish and British governments to progress peace talks.

“It’s rewarding intransigencies to fly people abroad who won’t do business at home,” Mr Bruton remarked.

The gathering in South Africa was the brainchild of Professor Padraig O’Malley of the University of Massachusetts in Boston who proposed it should be held over a weekend in early 1997.

Parties interested

It was indicated that senior members of all the main parties in Northern Ireland had expressed an interest in attending what was “a remote game reserve”.

Records note that funding from bodies like the Ireland Funds had been secured to cover the cost of flights to South Africa, while the South African government was going to cover all expenses while attending the meeting.

Mr Bruton noted that Prof O’Malley had also raised the idea about the trip to South Africa two years previously during a visit to Washington.

One file noted that the unionist leader, David Trimble, would be offered a particular incentive to travel to South Africa in the form of a private meeting with the president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela.

According to Prof O’Malley, the South African government was conscious that Mr Mandela had been associated in the past with Gerry Adams and would appreciate the opportunity to demonstrate his impartiality on the subject of Northern Ireland.

It was planned that roughly 30 representatives from the Northern Ireland parties would meet with up to 15 South African politicians and officials to discuss the South African experience of conflict resolution.  (File 2021/99/6)