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Peter Taylor

Operation Chiffon: The Secret Story of MI5 and MI6 and the Road to Peace in Ireland SOLD OUT

Peter Taylor

Sunday, 17 March 2024

2:00pm

1 hour

Weston Lecture Theatre

£8 - £15

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BBC journalist and documentary-maker Peter Taylor tells the story of the MI5 and MI6 operation that set Northern Ireland on the road to peace and the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.

Taylor says Operation Chiffon helped to bring about an end to the IRA’s armed struggle. The roots of the secret intelligence operation went back to the activities of MI6 officers in the 1970s and, later, to the activities of MI5 officers in the 1990s. Taylor draws on his 50 years of covering the conflict and interviews with officers involved to show how they risked their careers and their lives to secure the peace that exists today.

Taylor is best known for his coverage of the Irish conflict and political violence and has written many books on the subject. His awards include Journalist of the Year and lifetime achievement awards from Bafta and the Royal Television Society.

Part of the festival’s programme of Irish Literature and Culture.

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The Oxford Literary Festival sponsors, donors & partners

The Telegraph Festival media partner University of Oxford European Union Supported by the Delegation of the European Union to the UK Cultural Relations Platform Supporter of the festival's Voices of Europe programme Bodleian Libraries Festival cultural partner Oxford Martin School Festival ideas partner Oxford Mathematics Spanish Embassy The Spanish Embassy: supporters of the programme of Spanish literature and culture Cervantes Institute, London The Cervantes Institute, London Blackwell’s Festival on-site and online bookseller Symington Wines of the Douro Valley Compassion in World Farming Pasture to Plate Oxford Business College Where learning meets opportunity: education partners of the festival Old Bank Hotel Five-star hotel partners of The Oxford Collection Old Parsonage Hotel Five-star hotel partners of The Oxford Collection Oxford Brookes University Oxford International Centre for Publishing Critchleys Accountants to the festival Confucius Institute Voltaire Foundation Felicity Bryan Associates Goldmoney Properties Princeton University Press Prestige publishing partner. Celebrating 25 years in Europe in 2024 Oxford University Department for Continuing Education Jewish Book Week Partner of Oxford Literary Festival Jim Mellon Miles Young Tim and Marion Stevenson Martin and Elise Becket Smith Ian and Carol Sellars David Isaac Mary and Cecil Quillen Supporters of the programme of American literature and culture Other donors Yale University Press London New College New College founded 1379 Exeter College Exeter College: college home of the festival. Founded 1314 Worcester College Worcester College founded 1714 Lincoln College Lincoln College founded 1427 Trinity College Trinity College founded 1555 Magdalen College Magdalen College founded 1458 Reuben College Reuben College founded in 2019 Pusey House Founded 1884 Brasenose College Brasenose College founded in 1512 New Dutch Writing Human Ecology Project MACROVegan Bear Ram Elk Festival Digital Strategy & Web Design Racalia Olive Oil Olive oil from Sicily Paul Bloomfield Ltd University of Oxford Alumni Office Alumni Office The Sheldonian Theatre Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies Oxford University Images Oxford University Images CAV Oxford The Litmus Partnership Schoolreaders Windrush Group The Oxford Times BBC Radio Oxford Local radio partner Conference Oxford Ox in a Box OX magazine