On August 31, 1994, the Provisional IRA announced that “there will be a complete cessation of military operations. All our units have been instructed accordingly”. It was a statement that brought joy, tears and relief to so many in Northern Ireland who had endured violence. So much that would follow came from the ceasefire and the delicate negotiations that brought it about. As the 30th anniversary of the ceasefire approaches, Joe and Dion consider the people who made that possible, the role of the US and the refusal of unionism to move forward. They also ask why the lessons of the north are being ignored in Gaza. And can Dion, a Protestant in his heart, pass the Orange Lodge test?

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Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning is a Gold Hat Production in association with SwanMcG.

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