MARTIN McGUINNESS, 1950-2017
÷ Taoiseach and President in historic move to attend funeral ÷ Tributes from across political world for his devotion to peace ÷ But many IRA victims still see him as a ruthless terrorist leader
MARTIN McGuinness, the senior republican and Northern political giant who went from a man of violence to one of peace, died at his Derry home yesterday after a short illness.
The former deputy first minister, who was 66, had a rare genetic disease called amyloidosis and had seen his health decline sharply in recent months.
His funeral tomorrow is expected to be the largest republican one since those of the hunger strikers in 1981.
Queen Elizabeth is to send a private message to the widow of Martin McGuinness.
Enda Kenny is to attend the service, becoming the first head of government from the Republic to appear at the funeral of a former Provisional IRA member.
Yesterday the Taoiseach spoke about Mr McGuinness’s role in the Good Friday Agreement and said the man had an unwavering commitment to enduring peace and prosperity for everyone in the North.
Mr Kenny said: ‘Martin will always be remembered for the remarkable political journey that he undertook in his lifetime.
‘Not only did Martin come to believe that peace must prevail, he committed himself to working tirelessly to that end.’
Michael D Higgins, who was victorious over Mr McGuinness in the 2011 presidential election, said: ‘The world of politics and the people across this island will miss the leadership he gave, shown most clearly during the difficult times of the peace process.’
The funeral is also likely to be attended by former taoisigh Brian Cowen and Bertie Ahern and former President Mary McAleese.
She said: ‘He was persuaded to the political process and it says something about the leadership qualities of he as a person that he was able to bring the IRA with him.’ Mrs McAleese revealed she had visited him in recent weeks, as did former US senator George Mitchell, architect of the Good Friday Agreement.
Former Tory prime minister of Britain, John Major, said Mr McGuinness had done some ‘very bad’ things before helping to build the peace.
And former Conservative Party chairman Norman Tebbit, wounded in the 1984 IRA bombing of the Grand Hotel in Brighton, which also left his wife Margaret paralysed, said the world is a ‘sweeter and cleaner’ place now that Mr McGuinness is dead.
In Derry, Gerry Adams told RTÉ’s Six-One News last night: ‘We wouldn’t have had the peace process when we had it, without Martin’s influence. He was a pivotal figure.’
Former Northern First Minister Arlene Foster also paid tribute while stressing she would never seek to minimise the pain of victims and their families. Former British premier Tony Blair said: ‘Once he became the peacemaker he became it wholeheartedly; and with no shortage of determined opposition to those who wanted to carry on the war.’
Ian Paisley Jr said: ‘I think the Christian view is that how a person’s journey started is of course important, but it is how it finishes that is actually more important.’
But Stephen Gault, whose father Samuel died in the IRA’s notorious ‘Poppy Day’ bombing in Enniskillen in 1987, said he would remember Mr McGuinness only as a terrorist. ‘If he had been repentant my thoughts might have been slightly different,’ he said.
Comment – Page 10 Matt Cooper – Page 10 senan.molony@dailymail.ie
‘Worked tirelessly for peace’ ‘If only he had been repentant’