A Wind of Peace Rises Over Northern Ireland

By Stéphane Bussard Le Temps Tuesday 27 March 2007

For the Northern-Irish and for we Europeans, this past Monday is, without exaggeration, truly
historic. Urged up until midnight on Monday by London to reach an agreement, these two enemies who
had been irreconcilable up until now - the Protestant Ian Paisley and the Catholic Gerry Adams - broke
with tradition yesterday in Belfast when they agreed to share power starting this coming May 8.

Even though the path to a cohabitation government is still strewn with ambushes, the two leaders, of
the Democratic Unionist Party and of Sinn Fein, are putting an end to close to a century of troubles and
three decades of inter-sectarian violence that has taken 3,600 victims. For eighty-year-old Reverend Ian
Paisley - dubbed "Dr. No" up until now for his immoderate love of refusal - it's a radical change in
direction. On his side, Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams had the tough job of convincing the Irish
Republican Army (IRA), author of numerous terrorist attacks, to put down its arms in 2005.

The Monday agreement could well constitute Tony Blair's finest political success, as he had made
resolution of the Northern Ireland question one of his priorities, notably by favoring the conclusion of
the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. If it materializes, this political breakthrough will put a bit of shine
on the career of the British prime minister that was tarnished by the Iraq fiasco.

The Stormont accord should also reassure us. It shows that, in spite of the wounds, reconciliation and
peace are not a pure utopia, and that religious, even ethnic divisions are not inevitable. Nonetheless, the
obstacles to overcome were considerable. Everything separated the Catholics and the Protestants - the
former attached to the values of Celtic heroism, the latter to notions of racial superiority.

1. What happened that was so amazing?

a. Two great enemies were able to come to c. Europe came to peace with Ireland
agreement d. The war was ended
b. Ireland gained independence

2. Why was Reverend Ian Paisley called “Dr. No?”

a. He was very knowledgeable in Ireland
b. His name, Paisley, when translated roughly means “no”
c. He completely refused to any agreement with the British
d. He completely refused to any agreement with Sinn Fein

3. Why was this agreement an important event to Tony Blair?

a. He added it to his successful Iraq campaign
b. He made peace in Ireland a priority
c. He redeemed himself after his decision to get involved in Iraq failed
d. Both B + C

4. Match the group with the values it is said to have placed importance on in this article.
a. Protestants – Celtic Pride c. Both of the above
b. Catholics – racial superiority d. Neither of the above

5. According to this article the IRA was the militant wing of a political group lead by
a. Tony Blair c. Gerry Adams
b. Sinn Fein d. Ian Paisley