Even as the IRA escalated its violence in the late 1980s, Sinn Féin was exploring the potential for talking, sending feelers out to church and state and seeking contact with a wide range of opinion. The result was a web of talks over the years, most of which were held in strict secrecy. It was not until April 1993 that the lid was lifted on at least part of the process when, entirely by accident, Gerry Adams was spotted entering John Hume’s home in Londonderry.
