Sharing Power in Northern Ireland?

Am I alone in thinking it strange that someone like Gerry Adams seems about to persuade the likes of Ian Paisley that he has reformed enough to join in sharing power in Northern Ireland. He is such a consummate politician that he has superficially given up all the objections he had to British rule to accept policing and justice in the province.
How much is he prepared to relinquish of his principles to gain office within the Northern Irish Assembly? Sinn Fein is still the political wing of the IRA and have responsibility for the deaths of scores of innocent people throughout the British Isles. The campaign of terror failed to achieve their ambitions, but now but claiming to compromise all their aims are being heaped into their laps unbidden. Will Ian Paisley take the bait? Is he going to walk into the spider's web? Is the achievement of self government so big a prize?