Changing relations: Northern Ireland and its neighbours, 1965-98

When Terence O’Neill became Northern Ireland’s Prime Minister in March 1963, he wanted to heal the 'ancient hatreds' that divided the two communities.

The Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association (NICRA) was formed in 1967 and began campaigning for reforms in voting rights, housing allocation and policing.

By 1969, the situation had become so tense that it looked as if violence would break out at any time.

The re-emergence of paramilitary groups within Northern Ireland’s two communities threatened any prospect of a peaceful end to the tensions that had been developing.

By 1971, the new Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, Brian Faulkner, decided to try out an old method of dealing with paramilitary violence.

The Stormont government was not able to deal with the deteriorating security situation. British Prime Minister Edward Heath decided it was time for his Government to get involved.

With Stormont closed down, the British Government decided that it had to try out a very different solution if peace was to be restored to Northern Ireland.

The decision of the British Government to introduce new security policies in the late 1970s had an impact on the ‘Troubles’ that was never predicted.

The London and Dublin Governments decided that it was time for them to act to halt the rise of Sinn Féin.

In December 1993, the British and Irish governments produced the Downing Street Declaration which outlined their approach to peace.

What led to the Good Friday Agreement and what were its terms?