Bruton also established a working relationship with Gerry Adams of Sinn Féin , however both were mutually distrustful of each other . The relationship became frayed following the ending of the ceasefire in 1996 , resulting in a bomb explosion in London . These relations worsened when the IRA killed Jerry McCabe , a member of the Garda Síochána , in a botched post office robbery in County Limerick , and another bomb explosion in Manchester . However , Bruton received widespread praise in the Republic for condemning the Royal Ulster Constabulary for yielding to loyalist threats at Drumcree by allowing members of the Orange Order to parade through a nationalist district . He stated that the RUC had been neither impartial nor consistent in applying the law . His outrage and criticism led to a tense atmosphere between London and Dublin . By the time of the 1997 general election Sinn Féin stated that they would prefer a Fianna Fáil led government and the IRA resumed their ceasefire soon after Fine Gael lost the 1997 general election
bomb explosion in London
1996 Docklands bombing
John Bruton