Ireland’s most senior Churchman has expressed the hope that an end to the political impasse in the North will be the legacy of Martin McGuinness who has died aged 66.
Archbishop Eamon Martin also paid tribute to Mr McGuinness as a “man of prayer”. The archbishop said that he had “no doubt” that Mr McGuinness’ “faith and relationship with God guided him along this journey.
He was a man of prayer and I am personally grateful for his good wishes and encouragement to me, as a fellow Derry man, in my own vocation,” Archbishop Eamon said.
Bishop of Derry Donal McKeown told The Irish Catholic that Mr McGuinness was first and foremost a family man.
“He was a man who showed huge courage in all stages of his life, both in his paramilitary days and in the peace process, taking huge risks and offering clear leadership”.
Dr McKeown said the people also “have to be aware that there are other people with more painful memories of how their lives were affected down through the years; a lot of people in Derry and elsewhere would have suffered terrible losses during the Troubles”.