THE PEACE process succeeded by getting people away from a political narrative of the past that focused on a final destination but instead persuaded them to embark on a common journey, allowing them to decide the destination along the way, Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Brian Cowen said last night.
Launching the revised and updated version of a history of the Northern Ireland peace process, The Far Side of Revenge, by Irish Timespolitical correspondent Deaglán de Bréadún, Mr Cowen said that the breaking down of the barriers that led to the peace process began with Seán Lemass and his decision to visit Terence O'Neill.
He described de Bréadún's book as "a great job of work" that was excellently written and clearly based on impeccable sources.
"This book for me charts very accurately and well the efforts of all those involved to devise a way in which we could all occupy this piece of ground in a peaceful way," said Mr Cowen.
He paid tribute to all the politicians in successive governments who had worked hard to bring about a peaceful solution and to all the officials who had dedicated themselves to the complex work involved.
Former taoiseach Albert Reynolds was among those who attended the launch.
Also there were key participants in the peace process - Paddy Teahon, the former secretary of the taoiseach's department; Tim Dalton, former secretary of the department of justice; and Dermot Gallagher, secretary general of the Department of Foreign Affairs.
