Rossport and the Last Arsenal
The political atmosphere at the opening of the year was heavy with the consequences of events late in 2004, particularly the Northern Bank robbery in Belfast. On 10 February 2005, the Independent Monitoring Commission concluded that the Provisional IRA had been responsible for the robbery. Its assessment, rather than a criminal court verdict, had major political force: it reinforced unionist distrust of Sinn Féin and deepened the deadlock in devolved government. The Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive had already been suspended since October 2002, and direct rule from Westminster continued through 2005.