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The Irish Times ➤ The party John Hume led for a quarter of a century struggled to survive his 2004 retirement, but he is still widely recognised as the most constructive figure of “the Troubles”.
By Fionnuala O'Connor
Reconciliation between nationalists and unionists may be as far off as ever, the SDLP an also-ran. Yet the only framework convincingly proposed for a lasting settlement, centred on equality for Irish and British identities through power-sharing with a formal involvement of Britain and the Republic, was substantially Hume’s prescription.

Though his persistence irked some in both capitals, in the judgment of many observers, Hume’s determination that the voice of anti-violence nationalism be heard over the noise of war kept London and Dublin up to the mark. His talent as a lobbyist swung Irish-American opinion-formers against support for the IRA and enlisted them to urge economic investment in Northern Ireland. At crucial moments, Washington influence on British administrations and Northern politicians helped sustain a lasting, if imperfect, peace.

Continue reading @ The Irish Times.

John Hume ➤ Nationalist Leader Who Championed ‘Agreed Ireland’

The Irish Times ➤ The party John Hume led for a quarter of a century struggled to survive his 2004 retirement, but he is still widely recognised as the most constructive figure of “the Troubles”.
By Fionnuala O'Connor
Reconciliation between nationalists and unionists may be as far off as ever, the SDLP an also-ran. Yet the only framework convincingly proposed for a lasting settlement, centred on equality for Irish and British identities through power-sharing with a formal involvement of Britain and the Republic, was substantially Hume’s prescription.

Though his persistence irked some in both capitals, in the judgment of many observers, Hume’s determination that the voice of anti-violence nationalism be heard over the noise of war kept London and Dublin up to the mark. His talent as a lobbyist swung Irish-American opinion-formers against support for the IRA and enlisted them to urge economic investment in Northern Ireland. At crucial moments, Washington influence on British administrations and Northern politicians helped sustain a lasting, if imperfect, peace.

Continue reading @ The Irish Times.
Irish Times Obituary

3 comments:

  1. Ciaran Goggins6:34 PM, August 03, 2020

    I recall the "Stoop Down Low Party" but Hume et al never sold out as Sinn Fein did with a jejune "policing agreement". Well, that was worth 3300 lives eh?

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  2. Barry Gilheany8:35 PM, August 03, 2020

    What John Hume worked for Sinn Fein and the DUP stole.

    John was a colossus whose thinking was so far of his timne, perhaps too far as his party was to find out to its cost. But his work is testimony to the efficacy of non-violence in achieving peace and justice in Ireland as opposed to the nihilisitc dead end of armed struggles.

    RIP John. Glad to have known you. Somebody like you at the helm of the Remain campaign in the EU Referendum would have prevented Brexit from becoming a reality.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Henry JoY9:39 PM, August 05, 2020

    Compare Hume's funeral with that of Bobby Storey's and the quality of integrity, decency and authenticity (and lack there off) between the individual men and the 'movements' they represented, and the inevitable disparities could not be more clearly highlighted.

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