John Bowman

State papers: Newly-released files show how the signatories to the Belfast Agreement came to view it as the least worst option

Newly released State papers shed light on the years immediately after the Belfast Agreement, so much of which is still in dispute or open to interpretation

Newly released files from 1991-1998 allow for fresh assessment of the peace brokers

State papers: History shows former taoiseach correct not to unilaterally abandon Articles 2 and 3

Frances Stevenson’s diary on the Lloyd George-de Valera summit of 1921 offers rare insights

Former Northern Ireland secretary highly critical of Thatcher and unionists

State Papers: Haughey and Thatcher only held one hour of discussions in the year

Broadcaster played a key role in the opening up of media that enabled change

British colleagues also perplexed by ‘national security’ reason for lack of prosecutions

Analysis: Records suggest she was irascible on Ireland, shallow and very often uncertain on detail

State papers show the taoiseach and the British PM 'at loggerheads' over the IRA

State Papers: 1987 files describe mission to promote Anglo-Irish Agreement

The British are moving to release official files after 20 years

The nightmare for any Irish government was the extradition of an innocent citizen who would be wrongly jailed

State papers 1986: UK secretary said Anglo-Irish Agreement resulted in ‘fundamental change’