Chasing peace over dinner

The annual meeting of "Toffs against Terrorism", otherwise known as the British Irish Association, took place at Newnham College…

The annual meeting of "Toffs against Terrorism", otherwise known as the British Irish Association, took place at Newnham College, Cambridge, last weekend where Onora O'Neill, one of Britain's leading philosophers, is principal. The usual 100 or so interested parties, including Martin Mansergh, AG David Byrne, Minister Micheal Martin, Quentin Thomas from the NIO, Roger Stott MP, David Burnside, head of the Unionist information office, Martha Pope, the McGimpsey brothers, Michael and Chris, Sean Farren and Alex Atwood from the SDLP, David Ervine and Billy Hutchinson turned up. Minister for Foreign Affairs Ray Burke was the chief speaker on the Friday night and NIO minister for political development Paul Murphy on the Saturday. It was noted that Mr Burke seemed very preoccupied with events back home - not surprising, really, considering his ordeal in the Dail the previous two days. The main talking point was the heated argument between Patricia Campbell, the Catholic who runs the Unionist information office, and Sinn Fein's Tom Hartley and Gerry O'Hara about their different experiences of what it meant being a Northern Ireland Catholic. They then sat down to lunch together.