John Hume RIP

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RMAOK

RIP

maccored

RIP

Hamsterchops

John Hume, architect of the Northern Ireland peace process, dies aged 83.

Former SDLP leader was awarded Nobel Peace Prize for his role in Northern Ireland. Forever committed in the persuit of Irish unity through peaceful means ......

Mr Hume, who spearheaded the finally successful efforts to end the violence of the Troubles and who is viewed as the architect of the 1998 Belfast Agreement, was in a nursing home and had been ill for a long time.

He was centrally involved in the civil rights movement of the 1960s and served as an MP, Assembly member and MEP.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD described Mr Hume as “a great hero and a true peace maker”.

Mr Martin said: “Throughout his long life he exhibited not just courage, but also fortitude, creativity and an utter conviction that democracy and human rights must define any modern society”.

Former British prime minister Tony Blair described him as a “political Titan and visionary who refused to believe the future had to be the same as the past”.

“The life of John Hume will forever be a blessing upon this island since Ireland is now blessed by the peace he gifted to us all. It is the greatest legacy a political leader can bestow upon his country”.

RIP John Hume.

Yamanoto

A thousand times the patriot any of the supposed hardmen ever were.

RIP

NIMAN

As a fellow Derry man who would often see him about, we tended to take him for granted.

I remember sitting beside him at the bar in Da Vinci's in Derry one evening, and a mate saying how we take it for granted sitting beside a Nobel prize winner.

I do remember being in Dublin for a Derry City cup final a few years back. John wasn't keeping well even then but he was in the pub pre-game like the rest of us, but I seen just how much it meant for Dubliners to get their photo taken with him.

A giant.

Chalk McHugh

Had the pleasure of meeting him twice. Great man. RIP.

statesaver

A sad day for Northern Ireland.

RIP

spud65

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam

forgottenhills

Simply the hero of the "Troubles" era and the greatest Irish politician in my lifetime.

md23040

John Hume was a man of great integrity and peace throughout his career. There was many nights in the 70's/80's when the family had to move out of the house in the middle of the night due to death threats or youths throwing stones at the house but still he always persevered with peace. Even in the face of some nationalists seeing him and his party as sells outs and intense pressure with graffiti to that effect all around the area.

He paid the ultimate price by sacrificing the SDLP at the political altar to bring Sinn Fein in from the cold. Condolences to Pat and the family who are really lovely people. RIP to one of Irelands greatest statesman.

banie01

John Hume deserves to be remembered and lionised in the same fashion as any of the US Civil rights leaders.

Hume and Mallon did so much to bring the NI factions together in the cause of peace.
That we now have a generation of adults in Ireland, who know nothing of gun politics other than what they have been told!

Is a testament to the work he contributed to.

Rest in peace, and thank you Mr Hume.
Rarely has that epithet being more apt, or indeed more earned.

castletownman

I do think when we name great peace activists and political giants, for some reason we tend to look abroad. Its a weird Irish quirk for whatever reason.

But Hume deserves to have the same international recognition and respect as a Mandela or Gandhi.

The most important political figure of my lifetime and a gentleman to boot from what I can gather. RIP

StackSteevens

statesaver wrote: »

A sad day for Northern Ireland.

RIP

For all of Ireland.

WomanSkirtFan8

RIP John Hime. A great Irishman and true peacemaker.

Jimbob1977

John Hume followed the path of Gandhi and King, when the popular alternative was to take up the armed struggle.

After decades of perseverance, he delivered the peace.

Rest in peace

TheCitizen

A great leader.

In the eulogies it will be forgotten how CC O’Brien, Eoghan Harris, Eamon Dunphy, Dudley Edwards, O’Hanlon and the rest writing for the biggest selling newspaper in the country all savagely attacked him for starting the Peace Process with the Hume/Adams axis.

Today you have politicians and journalists in the Irish print and broadcast media as well as loads of posters on this site who attack Sinn Fein for things that happened more than 20 years ago. These people and those hacks in the SIndo back then contribute nothing. John Hume sacrificed his political career to do what he knew needed to be done.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh anam

padd b1975

A good guy, may he rest in peace.

I do think Sèamus Mallon may have been easier to do business with though.

Hamsterchops

Jimbob1977 wrote: »

John Hume followed the path of Gandhi and King, when the popular alternative was to take up the armed struggle.

After decades of perseverance, he delivered the peace.

Rest in peace

You say the popular alternative was to take up the gun, but let us not forget it was a minority within a minority who took up the gun, admittedly a very vocal & loud (bang) minority, but still a minority who chose violence. John Hume took the peaceful path and led NI to the Peace process.

God bless him for that.

Truthvader

Hamsterchops wrote: »

You say the popular alternative was to take up the gun, but let us not forget it was a minority within a minority who took up the gun, admittedly a very vocal & loud (bang) minority, but still a minority who chose violence. John Hume took the peaceful path and led NI to the Peace process.

God bless him for that.

As did Mallon, Paddy Devlin and hundreds of others now long forgotton who stood alone against the thugs and killers but never got any prizes or recognition.

TheCitizen

padd b1975 wrote: »

A good guy, may he rest in peace.

I do think Sèamus Mallon may have been easier to do business with though.

Not at all. Mallon made his own contribution, but what made Hume so outstanding was despite all the criticism thrown at him and despite knowing that in a narrow political sense he was sacrificing the future prospects of his own political party he brought SF and the PIRA in from the cold and made Peace possible.

It's easy for the likes of Michael Martin to eulogise on the radio, after him Hohn Bruton came on. I had to turn it off. Hume really was an outstanding figure in Irish politics.

TheCitizen

Truthvader wrote: »

As did Mallon, Paddy Devlin and hundreds of others now long forgotton who stood alone against the thugs and killers but never got any prizes or recognition.

Hume also stood up to the weak-willed politicians and media hacks in this country who attacked him for doing what was necessary to build the Peace Process

NIMAN

md23040 wrote: »

John Hume was a man of great integrity and peace throughout his career. There was many nights in the 70's/80's when the family had to move out of the house in the middle of the night due to death threats or youths throwing stones at the house but still he always persevered with peace. Even in the face of some nationalists seeing him and his party as sells outs and intense pressure with graffiti to that effect all around the area.

So true.

Many would never have known the pressure he and his family would have lived under at the height of the Troubles.

I went to school with his son and was shocked to hear about the bullet proof doors and the odd stoning the house would get. And ironically all from his 'own side'.

I must have been tough for him and Pat to try to raise a family normally. They sacrificed normality for the good of the country, and we should all be thankful for his patience and tenacity.

Galwayguy35

RIP to a decent man.

rob316

That was one truly great politician and person. RIP

completedit

Did he not die a few years ago? Serious Mandela Effect going on right here. I remember not having a breeze who he was and RTE aired a documentary about him and I was just like what a legend. But certain it was like a tribute to him.

NIMAN

I hope my home city do something fit and proper to honour his legacy, and hopefully petty politics won't get in the way.

Church on Tuesday

A true Irish patriot and advocate for peace which we all enjoy today.

RIP.

TheCitizen

NIMAN wrote: »

I hope my home city do something fit and proper to honour his legacy, and hopefully petty politics won't get in the way.

Hume’s legacy is secure. Petty politics was something he always rose above.

batman75

A giant of modern Irish history was John Hume. A man who sought progress in N.I. through talks not terror. He had tremendous gravitas and stature. Easily the finest Irish political figure in my lifetime. As others have said brought SF into the peace talks when it wasn't popular or easy to do so. Was willing to let his own party suffer politically for the greater good. May he RIP