The IRA had seen itself as engaged in an anti-colonial, anti-imperialist freedom struggle. Suddenly, however, the supposed imperialist power had made an important move which cast it in a new light. This raised the issue, in more thoughtful republican minds, of whether a continuation of violent action represented the best way ahead. A senior Sinn Féin source later said privately: ‘We saw the coming together of Dublin and London, and this proved London could be shifted. The fact that Britain moved unilaterally was pivotal. They hit the Unionists a kick in the balls, saying to them, “We’ve tried
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