John Hume, who spent over 40 years campaigning for peace and a lasting solution to the Northern Ireland conflict, has died in his native Derry aged 83 years.
Mr Hume, a teacher turned politician, has been widely acknowledged as the key person in ending 30 years of violence in the North which cost over 3,600 human lives.
Over decades he built up huge influence in the USA and Europe, as well as London and Dublin, and finally even convinced the IRA of the value of his ideals, much of which were enshrined in the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.
Mr Hume’s family announced his passing this morning.
John Hume was honoured with the Nobel Peace Prize in 1998, and in 2010 he was voted “Ireland’s Greatest Person” in a poll for RTÉ television.
He had retired from active politics in 2004 and in recent years suffered a number of health problems including dementia.
Read more via The Independent
