Tributes flow in following the death of 'a true peace maker' John Hume

John Hume has died. 

The former SDLP leader and Foyle MP passeed away earlier today surrounded by his family.

He was 83 years-old.

His death marks the end of an era in the political history of Ireland.

The Derry man was highly regarded around the world for his work in helping to create the conditions which led to the Northern Ireland peace process.

He was the co-recipient of the 1998 Nobel Peace Prize in 1998 with David Trimble.

Mr Hume was a founding member of the SDLP.

He led the party from 1979 until 2001.

He had served as a Member of the European Parliament and a Member of the UK Parliament, as well as a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Mr Hume, who retired from frontline politics in 2004, is regarded as one of the most important figures in the recent political history of Ireland.

He is also a recipient of the Gandhi Peace Prize and the Martin Luther King Award, the only recipient of the three major peace awards.

In 2010 he was named 'Ireland's Greatest' in a public poll by Irish national broadcaster RTÉ to find the greatest person in Ireland's history.

After leaving school, Mr Hume studied for the priesthood for a short time before leaving to become a teacher.

He became involved in the civil rights movement in the 1960s and was also a founding member of Derry Credit Union.

He became an independent nationalist member of the Parliament of Northern Ireland in 1969 at the height of the civil rights campaign.

He was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 1973, and served as Minister of Commerce in the short-lived power-sharing government in 1974.

In a statement issued by the SDLP, Mr Hume's family said they were 'deeply saddened' to announce that he passed away peacefully in the early hours of the morning after a short illness. 

"We would like to extend our deepest and heartfelt thanks to the care and nursing staff of Owen Mor nursing home in Derry. The care they have shown John in the last months of his life has been exceptional.

"As a family, we are unfailingly inspired by the professionalism, compassion, and love they have shown to John and all those under their care.

"We can never adequately show them our thanks for looking after John at a time when we could not. The family drew great comfort in being with John again in the last days of his life."

An Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD has paid tribute to John Hume.

“John Hume was a great hero and a true peace maker.

“Throughout his long life he exhibited not just courage, but also fortitude, creativity and an utter conviction that democracy and human rights must define any modern society.

“For over four decades, he was a passionate advocate for a generous, outward-looking and all-encompassing concept of nationalism and republicanism. For him the purpose of politics was to bring people together, not split them apart.

“During the darkest days of paramilitary terrorism and sectarian strife, he kept hope alive. And with patience, resilience and unswerving commitment, he triumphed and delivered a victory for peace.

“While the 1998 Good Friday Agreement was the product of many people’s work, can anyone really claim that it would have happened without John Hume?  He didn’t just talk about peace, he worked unstintingly for peace, at times in the face of the most virulent criticism and risk to his life. He knew that to be a peace maker on this island meant being a risk taker.

“John Hume’s life was one of towering achievement. His vision was realised and while illness took away his voice, his presence remains all around us on this island in the form of political stability and he has left us a powerful legacy of peace and reconciliation.

“Such achievement of course meant much sacrifice – a sacrifice shared by his wife Pat and his family but they knew it was for the greater good.

“I extend my sympathies to his wife Pat and his five children Aine, Therese, John jnr, Aidan, and Mo.  Their grief will be great but they can take pride in the knowledge that they have shared their life with one of the greatest Irish people that ever lived. All people on this island will give thanks for his life.”