Brendan Duddy

Brendan Duddy is a businessman from Derry, Northern Ireland, who played a key role in the Northern Ireland peace process. A notable Catholic Republican, who was a pacifist and firm believer in dialogue,citeweb|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/mar/18/northernireland.northernireland|title= Talking to the enemy: the secret intermediaries who contacted the IRA
publisher=The Guardian|date=March 18 2008|accessdate=2008-03-26] Duddy became known by MI6 as "The Contact." In his book "Great Hatred; Little Room - Making Peace in Northern Ireland," Tony Blair's political advisor Jonathan Powell described Duddy as the "key" which led to discussions between republicans and MI5, and ultimately the Northern Ireland peace process.citeweb|url=http://www.derryjournal.com/politics/Duddy-took-risks-for-peace.3889984.jp|title=Duddy took risks for peace - Powell|publisher=Derry Journal|date=19 March 2008|accessdate=2008-03-26]

Biography

Duddy ran a fish and chip shop in the late 1960s which was supplied with beef burgers, from a supplier whose van driver was Martin McGuinness.citeweb|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/mar/18/northernireland.past1|title=Disobeyed orders and a dangerous message|publisher=The Guardian|date=18 March, 2008|accessdate=2008-03-26] Duddy was first approached by Secret Intelligence Service officer Frank Steele in the early 1970s, but turned the approach down.

In light of the disillusion of Stormont in 1972, Duddy's role as an intermediary started in January 1972, when asked by friend and Derry's Chief Police Office Frank Lagan to persuade the Official Irish Republican Army and the Provisional Irish Republican Army to remove their weapons from the Bogside.citeweb|url=http://niallodochartaigh.net/bsunday.html|title=Bloody Sunday|publisher=Niall O Dochartaigh|accessdate=2008-03-26] Both sides complied, but the Official IRA retained a few weapons for defensive purposes. After 13 unarmed civil rights marchers were shot dead by British Parachute Regiment troops in what became known as Bloody Sunday, Duddy warned Lagan: "This is absolutely catastrophic. We're going to have a war on our hands."cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7303048.stm|title=Unveiling the secret peacemaker|author=Peter Taylor|publisher=BBC News|date=2008-03-19|accessdate=2008-03-27]

In the aftermath of the events and repercussions of Bloody Sunday, MI6 agent Michael Oatley arrived in Dublin in 1972, seeking to understand the situation in Northern Ireland and hopefully create a communications channel between the IRA and the British Government, Duddy became the go between for the communications.

In November 1991, as his now friend Oatley was about to retire from MI6 service, Duddy called Oatly to a diner in Derry. When dinner had finished, McGuinness entered the property. During the meeting, McGuinness and Oatley discussed options for moving the situation forward. A few weeks later, Duddy was pursued by a British businessman who wanted to create jobs in Derry. In the first meeting, the businessman produced a letter from then Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Brooke, introducing the "businessman" as Oatley's MI6 successor. Duddy called the MI6 agent "Fred," and acting as the go-between they successfully negotiated a ceasefire. Talks between McGuinness and representatives of the British government were held secretly in his house.

Since the end of The Troubles, Duddy has served as a member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board and helped broker negotiations related to the marching season. Duddy also testified to the Bloody Sunday Inquiry, with regards his role and actions of both sides.

On 26 March 2008, the BBC broadcast a documentary entitled "The Secret Peacemaker" about Duddy, presented by Peter Taylor, a journalist who had known Duddy was 'the link' for ten years. [cite news|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/mar/18/northernireland.past1|title=Disobeyed orders and a dangerous message|author=Peter Taylor|publisher="The Guardian"|date=2008-03-18|accessdate=2008-03-27]

References

* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7296580.stm BBC documentary]
* [http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/opinion/article2690005.ece Uncovering link helping Ulster up peace path]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6078578.stm "No need" for MI5 base in NI]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6234937.stm From Armalites to assets]

Notes

External links

* [http://www.fostersclothing.com/Duddy_Index.htm The Duddy Group]