After the IRA cease-fire of 1994, my friends and colleagues joked that I would now be out of a job as peace seemed set to descend on Ireland. I didn't share their optimism since I knew how fragile the cessation was. At that time, I discussed doing a historical series on the Republican Movement--the IRA and Sinn Fein--with the BBC. I'd tried to get a similar project off the ground in the mid-eighties but it was turned down. The political climate then, at the height of the Thatcher era, was to say the least, unfavourable. The BBC was keen that I should tackle the theme and I was keen to do so. I remember pointing out that the series should not be commissioned just because there was a cease-fire in place and I said I was not 100% convinced that it would last. If it was to end, I pointed out, that should not mean the end of the series. Fortunately, although the 1994 cessation was shattered by the London Docklands bomb in February 1996, a second cease-fire was in place by September/October 1997 when we came to transmit the four part BBC series "Provos: the IRA and Sinn Fein"--on which FRONTLINE's "Behind the Mask" is based.

The most difficult part of putting the series together was persuading the Republican Movement to give us the degree of cooperation that would make such a series possible. A few in the leadership were enthusiastic but more were less so. They said that they did not feel the timing was right: the conflict had not been resolved; they were concerned that the series might jeopardize the peace process; at this delicate stage, they did not wish to remind people of incidents in their own bloody history; and they felt that the only way in which the definitive story could be told was for the Movement to do it for itself. Despite these reservations, a decision was made to extend a degree of cooperation which, although unprecedented, was by no means total.

Interviews on the hunger strike were particularly painful. Many hardened republicans had tears in their eyes as they spoke, so great was the impact of that momentous event and so painful was the memory of their ten comrades who had died. There were amusing moments too, like Brendan Hughes talking about his escape from "Long Kesh" and the new identity he acquired as 'Arthur McAllister'-toy salesman. When the Special Branch officer finally came to arrest him, he said, 'Come on Brendan, you've had a good run for your money." Hughes was a vital interviewee, not just because of his historic role in the Movement--from seeing AR-15's coming in from America on board the QE2 to leading the first hunger strike--but because of his assessment of the situation today--autumn 1997. When I asked him if he thought the "war" was over, he heaved a great sigh and said "yes" because it had "run its course." In that sigh were years of suffering and death--not just, I felt, on his side but on all other sides too.

The question is not whether a settlement can be agreed but whether it is one that can be sold to those who have fought the IRA's "war" for almost three decades. But whatever happens, there is no doubt that Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness will only accept a settlement they are certain they can sell to their troops. Only then can we decide whether or not the "war" is really over.

In the course of Peter Taylor's reporting on Northern Ireland for over twenty-five years, he has made over fifty documentaries about the conflict for British television. Behind the Mask by TV Books is Taylor's fifth book on the subject. The others include Stalker-the Search for the Truth, Families at War and States of Terror.