Peacemaker John Hume Has Died Aged 83

Sadly, Nobel Peace Prize winner and prominent Northern Ireland politician Mr John Hume KCSG, has died aged 83, survived by his wife Pat and five children.

A Derry city native Mr John Hume served as an elected representative in the city for 36 years, including being a MEP (Member of the European Parliament); a Member of the UK Parliament, as well as a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly. He became one of the foremost figures for advocating non-violence, throughout many years of continued violence within Northern Ireland and remained a primary architects in bringing about the Good Friday Agreement, before being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in 1998.

In 2010 he was named “Ireland’s Greatest” in a public poll by Irish national broadcaster RTÉ, who sought to find the greatest person in Ireland’s history.

In 2012, Pope Benedict XVI awarded Mr Hume with the order of Knight Commander of the Papal Order of St. Gregory the Great, (KCSG). He was also a recipient of the Gandhi Peace Prize and the Martin Luther King Award.

His passing was confirmed by his family earlier this morning.

In their statement the family declared, “We are deeply saddened to announce that John passed away peacefully in the early hours of the morning following 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.
John was a husband, a father, a grandfather, a great grandfather and a brother. He was very much loved, and his loss will be deeply felt by all his extended family.”

The family further stated that the funeral of Mr Hume will be arranged according to the current government health regulations with very strict rules on numbers; as he would have wished. They also realise that this will mean that many will be unable to join them, but they commit to arranging a memorial service and a celebration of his life when restrictions are lifted.