Statement on the death of John Hume
Commenting after the death of John Hume, Labour Leader Alan Kelly said:
“John Hume was an extraordinary man, a true Irish patriot and hero.
“He dedicated his life to the pursuit of peace and reconciliation on this island and his legacy is impossible to quantify.
“During the darkest days of paramilitary violence and sectarianism, John Hume kept the flame of peace alive and we all owe him a debt of gratitude.
“John Hume was a key architect of the Good Friday Agreement and of the peace on this island that is often taken for granted. It simply would not have happened only for his bravery and political acumen. In the best tradition of the Labour Party and the SDLP, Hume was a driving force behind the vision of a shared future of reconciliation on this island. Unlike others Hume never lost the conviction that a negotiated political settlement was possible and refused to succumb to violence. He always chose principle over easy populism and was dogged in pursuit of peace and reconciliation above all else.
“I would like to extend my sympathies and that of the Labour Party to his wife Pat, his children Aine, Therese, John jnr, Aidan, and Mo.
Ar dheis dé go raibh a hanam dílis.