Sinn Féin’s invitation to an Anglo-Irish Christmas party during the peace process in Northern Ireland created a headache at Maryfield, according to newly-released archives.
Civil servants worried it could dissuade some from attending and pose a security risk.
An October 1997 note on the affair was published by the Public Record Office for Northern Ireland as part of the annual release of government archives.
Senior NIO official PN Bell wrote: “Now that Sinn Féin are, following the restoration of their ceasefire and full membership of the talks, a constitutional party, I can see no justification for not extending an invitation which, almost certainly, they will accept.”
The Maryfield Secretariat near Belfast was established as part of the Anglo-Irish Agreement which instituted closer north/south cooperation.
Such an invitation would not be without its downside
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The civil servant added: “Nevertheless, such an invitation would not be without its downside: once news of a Sinn Féin presence became common place, it would intensify unionist dislike of the Secretariat; it could generate some security risk; it might even deter other guests – although I greatly hope not, from wishing to attend, as well as creating some management problems within the Secretariat itself.
“The Christmas spirit will not come entirely free this year.”
Up to that point, unionists had never attended the Maryfield Christmas party.
Shame
The official added: “To sum up, the case for extending a joint invitation to Sinn Féin is irresistible.
“But, given the likely reaction in some quarters, I wish to be certain that ministers know all the implications, and are content that I should proceed with inviting a few leading Sinn Féin players along with other leading Northern Irish politicians.”
The Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue had also reflected on those who worked at Maryfield, the historic files said.
The government archives quoted from a debate: “Even the prosperous burghers of Holywood were so outraged at the Anglo-Irish Agreement in 1985 that the Maryfield bunker had to be virtually the most fortified place in Northern Ireland, and that remains the case today.”
It said civil servants working there and from Northern Ireland did not dare tell friends and neighbours for fear of “shame and opprobrium”.
“If he is from the Irish Republic he is furtively ferried in.
“He sits in the Maryfield bunker, somewhat similar to an astronaut sitting in the space shuttle.
“He can never venture out and meet the people of Northern Ireland.”
Wine and cheese
Occasionally – perhaps at a wine and cheese party on St Patrick’s Day, or at Christmas – an “ill-advised judge or a police officer seeking to be promoted to Chief Constable” may come in and make small talk over the canapes, the file said.
“But these people never – and never will- have any direct contact with the ordinary, decent people of Northern Ireland.”
NIO official JR Fisher noted in response: “Well at least it was more flattering than Mr (Reg) Empey’s recent description of us all in Maryfield as ‘Death Watch Beetles’.”
