Last week's historic announcement by the IRA has given the floundering peace process a renewed impetus and has brought a general expectation that the re-establishment of a devolved Stormont government is now inevitable.
Former republican prisoner Laurence McKeown, who now works with prisoner rights group Coiste, said that the move was always likely, particularly given Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams' request in April, but that did not diminish its importance.
"People on the ground generally thought that things were moving in that particular direction.
"In that sense it was not a surprise, though having said that you realise what a major event it was.
"In the past I read history books where after the 1950s campaign and after the civil war in Ireland, they were ordered to dump arms.
"In those times republicanism, not even just the IRA, was defeated or very much on the back burner. This time it is very different. You are also reading this in the paper about the IRA's order to dump arms, but there is a vibrancy in the community.
"It is not the IRA dumping arms in defeat, it is that we are at a particular point and the way to complete it is the political way. We needed an armed struggle to bring us to this point but we are strong enough as a community to take it forward."
Laurence is confident that the process of decommissioning will soon be completed and feels that movement towards a devolved government should follow swiftly.
"The IRA have made their decision and it is definitive and final. Knowing the IRA they will speedily follow through with whatever they need to do from their end of things. I think the wish will be that the other side speedily follow through and that includes both governments and the unionist community.
Unionism is already floundering, wondering what kind of moves they can make to hold up things and question the statement because ultimately when it comes down to it, republicans have a vision but unionism is about trying to stop any progress or developments as they do not have a vision – well not one they have shared with me.
"If unionists do try to delay progress or put it on the back burner, there is a real onus on both governments to ensure that that does not happen."
Laurence McKeown was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for the republican movement when he decided to go on huger strike in 1981. His ordeal lasted an incredible 70 days before his family intervened, asking for him to receive medical treatment.
This move enabled Laurence to witness last week's momentous events, but he is acutely aware of the absence of other volunteers at this time.
"At these times you also look back on what has happened and particularly people who have died, and people will look back on years of imprisonment and everything that has brought us to this point. I don't look on this in any solemn or downbeat way – I look on all those sacrifices as having brought us to this point."
The IRA is sometimes portrayed as a faceless organisation, but with approximately 5,000 West Belfast people imprisoned in the course of the conflict, the rank and file are very much a part of our community.
"The IRA is just an organisation made up of people, and they are still there, still in the community. They are just the ordinary people who have been here for years.
"It is not as if the announcement changed something and they will wake up and not know what to do. They will have their own family, their community, their work, their education, their businesses and in that sense they will just continue with what they have always been doing, and that is the best way we can build on the sacrifices that have been made."
In light of the IRA announcement, Coiste are now redoubling their campaign for equality for former republican prisoners. Ex-prisoners are faced with discrimination on a daily basis, with regards to employment, training, mortgages, travel, insurance and adoption.
"In terms of prisoners there are a whole host of discriminatory barriers affecting them simply because they were involved in the conflict. In light of the statement we will be continuing to call on the removal of those barriers.
"These convictions should be totally expunged, but even if they are not they should be totally disregarded as the distinction should be made that they were political prisoners during the conflict," said Laurence.
His colleague with Coiste, Rosie McCorley was also an IRA volunteer and served almost nine years in Maghabery prison before being released under the Good Friday Agreement.
Rosie too felt that the announcement brought back memories of the sacrifices IRA members have made in the past.
"My response is tinged with feelings of reflection. I have been thinking of the last 35 years and all the people involved and the people who have gone.
"It was an historic day and it is the way forward but certainly there is an element of sadness as it is the end of an era."
As frustrating and predictable as the reaction of unionist representatives were, Rosie believes that they can no longer thwart political progress in the North.
"I wasn't surprised [by the unionist response] and it is typical of their reaction to everything that has happened from the start of the process.
"They have always had a negative reaction, but I think that it is symptomatic of where they are at. They are trying to hold back change and change is just sweeping over them I suppose."
Friday morning saw the first tangible signs of the scaling down of the British military presence in South Armagh in direct response to the IRA decision. Rosie welcomed the British gesture but is eager for a more comprehensive plan for withdrawal.
"This is a very positive move and it is very significant for the people who live there and who have been under scrutiny for years, so it will be a release for those people.
"We will wait to see if this is a cosmetic move or if they follow through.
"If it is the start to a process of demilitarisation, people will welcome it."
With the IRA now comprehensively removing itself from the political equation, dissidents will be hoping to gain greater influence within republican communities but Rosie believes that they will fail.
"They have been around since 1998 and I don't see that they have changed much.
"Anything that has come from their activities has been negative for themselves and their community.
"Several are in prison and there does not seem to be much support for what they are doing. It is now incumbent upon everybody to show that politics work and continue to work," said Rosie McCorley.
