Political giant who was ‘man of peace’

Political giant who was ‘man of peace’

5 August 2020

THE former SDLP leader and Nobel peace prize winner John Hume has been hailed as one of Ireland’s “greatest and most important political figures” by former party leader, Baroness Margaret Ritchie of Downpatrick.

As Newry, Mourne and Down Council opened an online book of condolence, Baroness Ritchie led the local tributes to the former MP and MEP who died on Monday at the age of 83.

Mr Hume has been credited for starting the peace talks which brought about the IRA and Loyalist ceasefire and paved the way for the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, was a leading politician in Northern Ireland for more than 30 years. 

Baroness Ritchie said she owed her decision to join politics to Mr Hume.

She added: “He was the reason I joined the SDLP and a regular and always welcomed visitor to my former constituency of South Down.

“John’s ceaseless work to bring peace, reconciliation and understanding to this island created a legacy that will stretch forward across the generations.

“John’s respect for our different traditions and determination that we should spill sweat and not blood will set him alongside Charles Stewart Parnell and Daniel O’Connell as a defining and much respected figure in Irish history.”

South Down Sinn Fein MP Chris Hazzard tweeted that he was sad to hear about Mr Hume’s passing.

“My thoughts are with his family and colleagues in the SDLP today as Ireland says goodbye to a genuinely great political leader,” he said.

“A few years ago during a visit with the late Maurice Hayes at his home in Downpatrick a chat about developing GAA facilities was taken on a brilliant rambling tangent re John Hume. 

Maurice knew him well, and opened a door to the man I’d only known through my studies at that point. It was laden with humour and humility – but also plenty of lessons for us all today.”

South Down SDLP MLA Colin McGrath spoke of the respect he had for Mr Hume’s commitment to “peace and peaceful non-violent dialogue”.

He said: “In all his days, no matter how often he was attacked, John never once turned to violence and lived those very ideals of peaceful nonviolent resistance. He showed us that it was possible. He showed us that peace was achievable. We believed him, because of how radically he believed in those ideals and lived them.”

Mr McGrath said that through his work, Mr Hume offered “young and old alike a vision of a future in which the gun would be removed from Irish politics, no matter how hard terrorists would and continue to resist this”.

Council chairperson Laura Devlin, praised Mr Hume as “a man of peace” and a “true hero” who left a “lasting legacy as one of the highest profile politicians on the island of Ireland who was highly respected by all communities”.

Addressing the council’s full virtual monthly meeting on Monday, she asked: “How do you put into words a fitting tribute to the contribution this man has made to the landscape of Ireland? 

“How do you put into words a fitting tribute to this man who stood beside his community through Northern Ireland’s most terrifying and dark days and walked proudly beside them as we ushered in together the days of peace?”

Cllr Devlin added that from his example, she entered politics to “represent the needs of the community” and added: “In all of his years, in all his roles, whether as an MLA, an MP, an MEP, a teacher, a family man, a friend…his people came first.”

Respect was shown to Mr Hume and condolences to his family came from right across the political divide in the council chamber.

Councillor Billy Walker, on behalf of the DUP council group, paid his respects to Mr Hume’s family and to the wider SDLP group.

He said the death was a “sad loss to politics” and paid tribute to Mr Hume’s determination to peace-making and “removing the gun out of politics in Northern Ireland, even sometimes when his own party did not support him during the Hume-Adams talks”.

He added: “I also had the greatest admiration and respect of how the three then MEPs, John Hume, Ian Paisley and John Taylor, despite their political differences, worked together to bring millions of European money into Northern Ireland for the benefit of us all.”

Alliance councillor Andrew McMurray said: “If it wasn’t without the hard work and sacrifice of people like John Hume, we wouldn’t live in the Northern Ireland we do today. 

“His enormous contribution to the peace process, the end of violence and the determination to deliver a society built on peace and equality for everyone which be his lasting legacy along with a life well-lived.  

“As a young man growing up it was very obvious to me that John Hume was not only a man who stood for things but stood against things.”

Councillor Pete Byrne, leader of the SDLP council group, thanked his council colleagues for their kind words and said that the level of international tributes being made about Mr Hume reflected the “high level of esteem” he was held in.

“It’s very hard  to overstate the importance of John Hume to this island,” he said. “Through the most difficult times, John fought for justice, equality and peace.

“He taught me to have respect for difference and diversity and I think that’s a message that’s really important today.

“I want to thank John for delivering the institutions that we have today, they may not be perfect, but it brought peace to our streets and I want to thank John for leaving the blueprint for us all to build upon.”

SDLP councillor Dermot Curran called his former party leader as being “a man of the people, for the people” in his tribute.

He said: “Along with the late Eddie McGrady, we worked with John a lot over the years, particularly when he was an MEP in Europe over fishing interests.

“I always remember he would tell me that he never sought to be a leader, only to help people. That stuck with me and it was something that I carried with me in my work.

“His unstinting work for peace and what he did for us all cannot be understated.”

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the Book of Condolence is now available online at https://www.newrymournedown.org/chairpersons-book-of-condolences until Monday, August 17.

All messages in the online book will be recorded by Newry, Mourne and Down Council and sent directly to Mr Hume’s family.