Tánaiste leads tributes to ‘giant’ of North peace process

TÁNAISTE Simon Coveney has led tributes following the death of an Irish-American who played a key role in the development of the Northern peace process.

Bill Flynn, who died in the US on Saturday at the age of 92, was described by Mr Coveney as a giant of Irish-America.

Mr Flynn was the first Irish-American chairman of the National Committee on American Foreign Policy, the group that issued the invitation to former Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams to speak in the US in 1994.

Mr Coveney tweeted that it was with sadness that he learned of Mr Flynn’s death. ‘He showed real leadership in mobilising Irish American support for peace. Very proud of his contribution. Our thoughts with his family and friends,’ said the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Gerry Adams expressed his sympathies to the Flynn family on the death of a man he called his ‘good friend’. He said: ‘In Ireland and among Irish Americans, he is also one of those, along with Niall O’Dowd, Chuck Feeney and Bruce Morrison, who played a pivotal role in creating the conditions for the IRA cessation in August 1994, and in opening up political support in the USA for the Irish peace process.’

Mr Adams said he had known Mr Flynn for more than 25 years.

‘In 1994 he arranged for the National Committee on American Foreign Policy to organise a conference on Ireland to which I was invited,’ he added.

‘I applied for a visa which was eventually agreed and I received a 48hour restricted visa to New York.

‘It was a key moment in the efforts for peace.’