John Hume

listermint

Its not very often i feel pretty totally ignorant of a figure, but after watching Rte1 this evening I am annoyed I did not know more about the work this man has achieved over his life time. He is without doubt a very much generally unsung hero to the masses. And I would put him up there with the greatest of figures within Irish History.

I do realise the program is designed to paint a glowing picture of the subject matter but realistically is there another person who has done so much to achieve the vast strides of peace within the northern quarter of our little ireland.

Thank you John.

Seth Brundle

How long will it be before the FF brigade appear suggesting that Bertie did more for peace in NI than anyone else?

And I agree, John Hume is a brilliant man who stuck to his belief that peaceful means would sort out the North and we all owe him a huge debt for that.

Thomas Bateman

kbannon wrote: »

How long will it be before the FF brigade appear suggesting that Bertie did more for peace in NI than anyone else?

And I agree, John Hume is a brilliant man who stuck to his belief that peaceful means would sort out the North and we all owe him a huge debt for that.

I dont like FF, but in fairness without Bertie, the GFA would have been a lot harder to accomplish.

mikemac

Would have been an interesting choice for President.
He won't go for it, he deserves his retirement but many other posters brought up his name

Im divided between himself and Mary Robinson for it..I dont know enough about connolly..just once bono doesn't fúckin win it..

thebman

listermint wrote: »

Its not very often i feel pretty totally ignorant of a figure, but after watching Rte1 this evening I am annoyed I did not know more about the work this man has achieved over his life time. He is without doubt a very much generally unsung hero to the masses. And I would put him up there with the greatest of figures within Irish History.

I do realise the program is designed to paint a glowing picture of the subject matter but realistically is there another person who has done so much to achieve the vast strides of peace within the northern quarter of our little ireland.

Thank you John.

He has his own building in NUI Maynooth so not entirely unsung hero TBH and there has been a few people singing his praises over the years.

RDM_83 again

His only problem was that when he went the SPDLP were left with nobody of his caliber imo Mark durcan wasn't up to it as leader

thenutflush

I have to admit, previous to watching last night's programme about him, I knew very little about John Hume, apart from that he had something to do with the Good Friday Agreement (i was only 8 at the time so I wasn't exactly in tune with current affairs). Now I'm glad that I watched the programme because I've been made aware of just how enormous a contribution he's made to peace on this island. If I vote in the poll, I think I'll probably vote for him or James Connolly.

Seth Brundle

Thomas Bateman wrote: »

I dont like FF, but in fairness without Bertie, the GFA would have been a lot harder to accomplish.

I know that - I was thinking of the likes of the troll user last week who ouot the entire success down to Ahern.

listermint

thebman wrote: »

He has his own building in NUI Maynooth so not entirely unsung hero TBH and there has been a few people singing his praises over the years.

I didnt mean he was 'entirely' unsung. I was refering to the general masses, when they hear John Hume they would just thing SDLP something to do with the peace process etc etc.. I knew very little of his background and the tireless work that was done as would most of my immediate circle as discussed yesterday.

Lenny Lovett

John Hume is an very selfless human being. Arguably the best Politician Ireland ever had. We don't hear so much of him because he never got into prostituting himself to the first buyer like so many of our current lot.

Fr Tod Umptious

I voted for him in the first round of the 'Ireland's greatest' voting and will vote for him again in the final short-list.

Without him there would be no peace on this island and he did it all without resorting to violence, unlike Collins and Connolly

Bottle_of_Smoke

Yeah he really took a huge risk when he went into talks with Gerry Adams.

I don't actually blame Durkan for the downfall of SDLP though, I think he was a good leader. I think it is simply inevitable for radical parties to gain support in a post conflict era. On the unionist side look how well DUP are doing now when it was UUP and imo mostly the PUP who put the hard work into getting peace.

Still think David Ervine deserved to share the Nobel peace prize with Hume rather than Trimble.

Seth Brundle

Bottle_of_Smoke wrote: »

Still think David Ervine deserved to share the Nobel peace prize with Hume rather than Trimble.

In fairness, anyone should have received it before Trimble!

irishh_bob

Deleted User wrote: »

Im divided between himself and Mary Robinson for it..I dont know enough about connolly..just once bono doesn't fúckin win it..

its offisensive to use the name of john hume in the same sentence as that self regarding ubber high priestess of wooly liberal political correctness

Cavehill Red

RDM_83 again wrote: »

His only problem was that when he went the SPDLP were left with nobody of his caliber imo Mark durcan wasn't up to it as leader

Seamus Mallon was, but he sadly retired around the same time.
There were better calibre candidates than Durkan, but the SDLP has been in a long decline for a while now, and internecine fighting within the party has only let the Shinners steal a jump on them.
Ritchie is a good choice of leader, though to what extent she can combat the machine the Shinners have on the ground is another matter.

Zynks

irishh_bob wrote: »

its offisensive to use the name of john hume in the same sentence as that self regarding ubber high priestess of wooly liberal political correctness

I disagree.

T runner

irishh_bob wrote: »

its offisensive to use the name of john hume in the same sentence as that self regarding ubber high priestess of wooly liberal political correctness

Zynks wrote: »

I disagree.

I disagree also.


@ irishh_bob Dont you think it is self regarding to state that becuase you dislike someone it is therefore offensive for other people to like them?

Thats up to them, right?

karma_

John Hume is a true gentleman and was the last politician I had any real respect for although Gerry Fitt deserves a mention in that category too.

OhNoYouDidn't

Only winner of the three major peace prizes too.

Bottle_of_Smoke

kbannon wrote: »

In fairness, anyone should have received it before Trimble!

Well I think Ervine stood out as a deserving candidate. theres a very good bbc documentary called 'loyalists' where he's interviewed and it shows effort he put in in getting the loyalist paramilitaries to cease attacks. Albert Reynolds also put in huge effort but I guess they had to pick one from each 'side' and John Hume was the most deserving on the Irish side.

OhNoYouDidn't

Isn't Trimble the only Nobel Laureate in any discipline to keep the money?

FatherTed

John Hume(along with Seamus Malin) was the ONLY sane voice for years on the issue of Northern Ireland. He seemed to be fighting a losing battle for a long time but his ideas won out in the end.

Lenny Lovett

Nelson Mandela (and his family) retained his prize too. He was not a wealthy man when he was released. After his Presidency he established the Mandela Foundation. FW de Klerk used his to establish the FW de Klerk Foundation for Peace and Reconciliation.

Bottle_of_Smoke

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

Isn't Trimble the only Nobel Laureate in any discipline to keep the money?

Didn't realise it was typical not to. I mean I assumed many would donate it to their research fields or charities but thought many would keep.

Do most donate all or keep a chunk?

OhNoYouDidn't

Bottle_of_Smoke wrote: »

Didn't realise it was typical not to. I mean I assumed many would donate it to their research fields or charities but thought many would keep.

Do most donate all or keep a chunk?

Its my understanding that its given to charity. Except in one case.

mikemac

One of the best politicians Ireland ever had.

And sadly is often overlooked.
It might only be after he passes away that we appreciate what he has done.

Would have been a fine President of Ireland at some stage.
Possibly too late now as he does not want it, have a good retirement!

PeterIanStaker

A fine politician indeed, a true statesman as well as a negotiator, and I never praise them. Trimble doesn't hold a candle anywhere near Hume.