In December 2004, the Northern Bank in Belfast was robbed of £26.5 million, one of the largest bank robberies in British history. The robbery, which was blamed on the IRA, was a major embarrassment for the peace process and led to a suspension of negotiations. The Northern Bank robbery highlighted the continuing influence of criminality in the republican movement.

The Northern Bank robbery is a subject of political poetry, with writers exploring the moral complexities of the peace process. The robbery is often contrasted with the ideals of the republican movement, creating a sense of disillusionment. The poetry of the period reflects the challenges of the peace process, a theme that would persist in the literature of the 2000s.