John Hume RIP

ohnonotgmail · 03-08-2020 9:31am #1

Former SDLP leader and Nobel laureate John Hume has died at the age of 83.
RIP.
https://www.rte.ie/news/2020/0803/1157065-john-hume-dies/

circadian · 03-08-2020 9:34am

Rip John. A statesman if ever there was one.

jimmytwotimes 2013 · 03-08-2020 9:36am

One of ireland's finest ever citizens and politicians.

Sacrificed his own party to bring Sinn Féin into mainstream politics.

A man who put peace ahead of any personal ambition.

RIP

RandomViewer · 03-08-2020 9:37am

RIP

PropJoe10 · 03-08-2020 9:40am

A truly wonderful man and an example to us all. RIP.

Yurt2 · 03-08-2020 9:43am

For whatever reason, I had it in my head he had passed away a few years ago.

A man who brought all of his body, mind and spirit in the pursuit of peace during a traumatic and unforgiving time in Irish and British history. Requiesce in pace.

FrancieBrady · 03-08-2020 9:45am

RIP John. A brave man who made a valuable contribution

Fr Tod Umptious · 03-08-2020 9:45am

Greatest Irish person of my life time.

Saw him give a lecture at Maynooth University in April 1994, just as the ceasefire was coming together.
He was brilliant.

An outstanding brave man, the whole island owes him a huge debt of gratitude.

osarusan · 03-08-2020 9:47am

RIP. A giant of NI politics, and a man of real vision, bravery and integrity, central to so much of the progress that has been made.

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03-08-2020 9:47am

A good man.

rolling boh · 03-08-2020 9:47am

Definitely one of the most significant figures in our lifetime who worked tirelessly for peace and deserves huge respect from everyone R I P and thank you for all you have done .

gifted · 03-08-2020 9:51am

RIP... Worked tirelessly for peace. Always thought he would have made a great President if he went for it.

c68zapdsm5i1ru · 03-08-2020 9:51am

Rip. He has left a wonderful legacy.

03-08-2020 9:58am

If there was a more influential advocate for peace I've never heard of him. He leaves behind an unparalleled legacy as a statesman. RIP.

J Cheever Loophole · 03-08-2020 10:00am

I'm desperately sorry to hear of the passing of a true giant of our times. I was lucky to meet him a couple of times and he was a wonderful human being. His characteristics of vision, honesty, integrity, selflessness and bravery, amongst many others, marked him out as being what a politician should be but so rarely is.

He provided leadership when we in the North were desperate for it, through the darkest of hours and at a tme when such leadership carried the threat of a violent death.

I mourn this morning the passing of a truly great Irishman.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

Redderneck · 03-08-2020 10:04am

Now, THAT'S how you do patriotism. RIP.

SchrodingersCat · 03-08-2020 10:09am

The most important person of Irish politics in our generation. He put peace ahead of his own party he founded to bring Sinn Fein in from the cold.

Ar dheis de go raibh a anam.

03-08-2020 10:12am

I heard about his death in a text message from a non Irish person this morning, just to say he represented a voice of peace and reconciliation that echoes far beyond this island.

His commitment to peace was unflinching, he saw terrible injustice; he never believed the answer lay in armed conflict.

He was, perhaps, the greatest statesman this country has seen since the Civil War.

RiP

Eduard Khil · 03-08-2020 10:15am

Sad news the man was a hero proved violence isn't alway the answer he did more for nationalism and the Irish cause than many others with words and wit.

dilallio · 03-08-2020 10:17am

RIP

JohnnyFlash · 03-08-2020 10:26am

You can’t eat a flag.

RIP

Gods Gift · 03-08-2020 10:28am

RIP.
Lots of people alive today thanks to him.

branie2 · 03-08-2020 10:36am

He was a great man. RIP

coolshannagh28 · 03-08-2020 10:37am

A giant among men . RIP

Snickers Man · 03-08-2020 10:39am

I'm not in the habit of praising politicians but Hume was the exception. Somebody who could represent the aspirations and (many) grievances of Irish people in the north without resorting to the nihilism of violence.

The provos taunted him, and his supporters, with the playground sneer of the Stoop Down Low Party (SDLP), in much the same manner as rabid Brexiteers in Britain denounced their opponents as traitors and enemies of the people. Aithníonn cíaróg, cíaróg eile.

In fact he was a giant, in the moral, intellectual and figurative sense of the word. He deserves a huge send off. Covid restrictions will probably curtail them significantly.

Ní bheidh a leithéid ann arís. Is mór an trua.

TheValeyard · 03-08-2020 10:46am

RIP John.

Did amazing work to help bring about peace on this island. Even sacrificed his own party to do it.

History will be kind to him

NIMAN · 03-08-2020 10:46am

RIP to one of Irelands greatest ever politicians.

03-08-2020 10:51am

V.poorly with along while it seems

RIP

should never have been made share that nobel peace prize with trimble,deserved his own

elperello · 03-08-2020 10:51am

RIP

Condolences to his family.

03-08-2020 10:53am

RIP John Hume

Thank you for all you done in the name of peace. You truly are one of the most important people of the 20th Century (and beyond).

03-08-2020 10:53am

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RMAOK · 03-08-2020 10:58am

RIP

maccored · 03-08-2020 11:03am

RIP

Hamsterchops · 03-08-2020 11:05am

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 · 03-08-2020 11:10am

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

RIP

NIMAN · 03-08-2020 11:11am

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 · 03-08-2020 11:11am

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

statesaver · 03-08-2020 11:17am

A sad day for Northern Ireland.

RIP

spud65 · 03-08-2020 11:21am

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam

forgottenhills · 03-08-2020 11:35am

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

md23040 · 03-08-2020 11:39am

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 · 03-08-2020 11:42am

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 · 03-08-2020 11:43am

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 · 03-08-2020 11:46am

statesaver wrote: »

A sad day for Northern Ireland.

RIP

For all of Ireland.

WomanSkirtFan8 · 03-08-2020 11:59am

RIP John Hime. A great Irishman and true peacemaker.

Jimbob1977 · 03-08-2020 12:00pm

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 · 03-08-2020 12:02pm

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 · 03-08-2020 12:08pm

A good guy, may he rest in peace.

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

Hamsterchops · 03-08-2020 12:16pm

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 · 03-08-2020 12:20pm

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.

John Hume RIP

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