The Hunger Strikes had led to a surge in support for Republicanism and in October 1984, Margaret Thatcher herself, narrowly escaped death in the Brighton bombing. Her intelligence chiefs were clear; they weren’t going to defeat the IRA by purely military and security means – she decided something had to be done. Meanwhile in Dublin, fears over the rise of Sinn Féin and frustration with a lack of progress in advancing nationalists’ interests led to an openness to fresh ideas. The stage was set for secret talks which led to the Anglo-Irish Agreement, signed on the 15 November 1985. Ulster’s Unionists were outraged by what they saw as a betrayal.&nbsp;What was the background to the agreement, why was it so controversial, and what did it really involve?&nbsp;Ciarán Dunbar is joined by Professor Fergal Cochrane, commentator, Alex Kane, Professor Graham Walker, and Dr. Peter McLaughlin.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

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The Anglo-Irish Agreement (Part One): Why did Thatcher give Dublin a role in NI?

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