disarmed two years ago , helping to restore the province 's government in Belfast . Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern said the most recent moves of groups to disarm was `` significant and hopefully signals a further step toward the ending of all paramilitarism in Northern Ireland . '' For those that have lived through the turmoil in Northern Ireland , peace achieved though diplomacy must have seemed like an unrealistic goal . After all , each attack by loyalists usually resulted in retaliation by nationalists -- making the dispute bitter and intractable . But diplomacy has worked in bringing peace to Northern Ireland . Credit for developing a framework for the peace process stretches back to former British Prime Minster John Major 's rule in the 1990s and efforts by Ireland 's Ahern . But it was Major 's successor , Tony Blair , who was unrelenting in his quest for peace by making it a major priority of his government . Blair came to Northern Ireland 37 times as Prime Minister , traveling there more often than any of his predecessors as well as hosting many meetings at 10 Downing Street and discussing the peace process while at
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Commentators who have watched the conflict in Northern Ireland play out for decades call the peace process a miracle . Various leaders negotiated for years to bring an end to Northern Ireland 's `` troubles . '' Culminating in a power sharing deal between Ulster 's unionists , led by Ian Paisley , and Sinn Fein , the political arm of the IRA -LRB- nationalists -RRB- , led by Gerry Adams , the road to peace has been a torturous one characterized by violence , set-backs and numerous false starts . Only recently the Ulster Defence Association , Northern Ireland 's largest loyalist group , said it will cease to be an armed paramilitary group , starting at midnight on November 11 , saying the `` war is over . '' `` All weaponry will be put beyond use , '' Colin Halliday of the Ulster Political Research Group , which is linked to the group , said in a speech in Belfast aired by RTE , Ireland 's state-owned broadcaster . `` The struggle to maintain the union is on a new and more complex battlefield . '' The Irish Republican Army -LRB- IRA -RRB-