On December 15, 1993, the British and Irish governments issued the Downing Street Declaration, a joint statement that outlined the principles for a peaceful settlement in Northern Ireland. The declaration stated that it was for the people of Northern Ireland alone to determine their constitutional future, and it invited all parties to enter into negotiations. The Downing Street Declaration was a major step towards the peace process and the Good Friday Agreement.

The Downing Street Declaration is a subject of cautious hope in Irish poetry, with writers exploring the possibilities of peace. The declaration's principles of consent and dialogue are often contrasted with the violence of the past, creating a sense of a new beginning. The poetry of the period reflects the optimism of the peace process, a theme that would dominate the literature of the 1990s.