Unionists in Northern Ireland were not rational, Margaret Thatcher told Charles Haughey during private talks. In the top-level meeting in July 1987, the British and Irish leaders were discussing the fallout from the Anglo-Irish agreement. The historic accord signed 18 months previously had led to Unionists resigning their Westminster seats amid mass demonstrations in Northern Ireland over Dublin being given a say in the region’s affairs. The prime minister assured the taoiseach that “the Anglo-Irish agreement would stand”, according to a record of their meeting. “She felt obliged to point out that Unionists were, however, disaffected and she felt that a way would have to be found to bring them around.

Source: The Times December 29, 2017 00:01 UTC