Deaglan de Breadun's book on the Northern peace process was launched twice this week: first, as he said himself, off Broadway in Belfast by Minister Sir Reg Empey; and then in Dublin by the Taoiseach. Bertie Ahern ran through its contents, from the opening of the multi-party talks in June, 1996, to the May 2000 deal, and even mentioned the author's acknowledgment of Ray Burke's important contribution as minister and "as a heavyweight on the Fianna Fail front bench in Opposition". He said he particularly liked the story of David Trimble out on campaign and heading for the gravestone of a Trimble ancestor from the 1689 siege of Derry. He was restrained by friends, much to the disappointment of photographers. It can certainly be said that this situation is not one Bertie would walk into.
By contrast, Empey said he had only just received the book, The Far Side of Revenge, and hadn't yet read it. But he was funny. He didn't even have time, he said, to look through the index to see if there was any chance of a libel. There was a big turn-out at the bookshop in Queen's, including Trimble himself; Sean Farren; Danny Morrison; Billy Hutchinson; Peter Weir; Denis Haughey; Steven King; Senator Maurice Hayes; Lord Rogan, chairman of the Unionist Party; and Donal Hamill and Niall Holohan from the British-Irish Secretariat. The Taoiseach was very late for the Dublin launch in the National Library because arguments raging in the Dail backed up all his later appointments, including a meeting with the US Chamber of Commerce. Guests included the British ambassador, Sir Ivor Roberts; new junior Minister Mary Coughlan; Gen John de Chastelain; Earle Scarlett, the deputy chief of mission at the US embassy; John Bruton; Peter Doyle, head of the EU office in Dublin; Senator Mary Henry; Deputies Tony Gregory, Jim O'Keeffe, Nora Owen, Frances FitzGerald and Austin Currie; singer Mary Black, and top civil servants much involved in Northern affairs, Dermot Gallagher and Martin Mansergh.