Protestant clergymen met with members of the Provisional IRA and Sinn Fein representatives in Clare.
On 10 December 1974, a group of Protestant clergymen secretly met with Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) and Sinn Fein representatives at Smyth's Village Hotel in Feakle, County Clare. One of those present, the Right Reverend Arthur Butler, Bishop of Connor explains the rationale behind the meeting.
We met with a definite purpose of seeing if we could come to some form of agreement which in the first place would bring about a ceasefire.
The clergymen presented the IRA with a condemnation of violence, seeking a peaceful resolution of sectarian conflict by negotiation and other democratic channels.
While hopeful for a ceasefire, the Bishop of Connor would have preferred if news of the meeting had not broken so quickly.
It is possible that Dáithí Ó Conaill and Mountjoy Prison escapees Seamus Toomey, and Kevin Mallon were engaged in the talks. The Bishop of Connor says he cannot be sure because he does not know what the men look like and those taking part in the conversation were not using their real names.
Still so to speak I do not know who they were.
Far from the meeting being tense,
The atmosphere was remarkably good.
From the outset the meeting was serious and the Bishop of Connor is convinced all parties wanted a ceasefire. The other parties were anxious to talk and to listen to the point of view of the clergymen.
They made it clear that they hadn't come at great risk to themselves just to have cosy chats with us.
An Garda Síochána received word of the secret talks in Feakle and the meeting was raided by armed members of the special branch. The Provisional IRA representatives escaped.
The clergymen have been meeting with other paramilitary groups and the Bishop of Connor expects such meetings will continue,
We're willing to go to any lengths at all in confrontation with anyone to see if we can bring about a ceasefire.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 12 December 1974. The reporter is Reg Cullen.
