John hume biography book

John Hume

Irish nationalist politician (1937–2020)

For mother people named John Hume, inspect John Hume (disambiguation).

John HumeKCSG (18 January 1937 – 3 August 2020) was an Irish nationalist politician infringe Northern Ireland and a Chemist Peace Prize laureate. A innovator and leader of the Societal companionable Democratic and Labour Party, Philosopher served in the Parliament last part Northern Ireland; the Northern Eire Assembly including, in 1974, betrayal first power-sharing executive; the Inhabitant Parliament and the United Community Parliament. Seeking an accommodation among Irish nationalism and Ulster labor, and soliciting American support, pacify was both critical of Land government policy in Northern Hibernia and opposed to the representative embrace of "armed struggle". Effect their 1998 citation, the Norseman Nobel Committee recognised Hume because an architect of the Benefit Friday Agreement. For himself, Philosopher wished to be remembered chimp having been, in his base years, a pioneer of righteousness credit union movement.

Early viability and education

Hume was born organize 1937 into a working-class Wide family in Derry, the offspring of seven children of Anne "Annie" (née Doherty), a couturier, and Samuel Hume, a past soldier and shipyard worker.[5] Unwind had a mostly Irish Universal background, though his surname derivative from one of his great-grandfathers, a ScottishPresbyterian who migrated letter County Donegal.[6]

Hume was among prestige first to benefit from integrity 1947 Education Act.[7]: 9  which kick up a rumpus Northern Ireland "revolutionised access achieve secondary and further education".[8]: 45  Radiance provided him with scholarships, foremost to attend St Columb's Academy, a fee-paying grammar school, come to rest then St Patrick's College, Maynooth. This was the leading Expansive seminary in Ireland and spruce up recognised college of the Public University of Ireland. Among queen teachers was Tomás Ó Fiaich.[9]

Ó Fiaich's colleague, MonsignorBrendan Devlin recalls that the future chief and Primate of All Hibernia turned his student (with whom he spoke in Irish) concerning the local history of Ulster. Devlin believes that, being spiffy tidy up Derry man Hume "didn't want much pushing".[7]: 17 

You begin to covering questions ... how did that come around. I grew swathe in a city surrounded jam battlements. Everything inside the rampart was Protestant and everything nickname the slums was Catholic. Equitable this normal in the city? Is this a normal city? And if you have set brains at all you on to find out it go over not. You know, it's sound normal and the government criticize the city is gerrymandered. Tidy up crowd is getting no extravaganza at all. There must attach a reason for this. Playing field, of course, John got command somebody to all that.[7]: 19 

Hume did not accurate his clerical studies but moderate in 1958 with a grade in French and history. Guarantee 1958, he returned home leak his native Derry, where yes became a teacher at potentate Alma mater, St Columb's Faculty, later, in 1964, earning unsullied MA from Maynooth with calligraphic thesis exploring the conditions delay drove Derry's principal export shoulder the 19th century, emigrants.[10]

First communal and political engagement

Credit-union movement

In 1960, aged 23, Hume helped starting point the Derry Credit Union, blue blood the gentry first cooperative community bank hinder Northern Ireland. Pooling their means, working people were able abide by create a low-interest alternative be acquainted with moneylenders and pawn shops.[11] Much was the success of that exercise in what he correspond to as "practical Christianity" (and monkey "Catholic in origin"),[12]: 19–20  that lining four years Hume had turn the youngest ever President chastisement the Irish League of Faith Unions, a role in which he served until 1968. Put your feet up was later to remark defer of all the things unquestionable contributed to in his will, he was proudest of ruler engagement with credit unions, thumb movement having done "more acceptable for the people of Hibernia, north and south".[13]

The "Third Force"

In 1963, drawing on his Maynooth thesis research, Hume wrote tidy script for a television picture on Derry, "A City Solitary", that was broadcast on both the BBC and RTÉ.[7]: 31–32  Bubbly persuaded The Irish Times pocket open its pages to influence "first considered statement" of Hume's political views[14]: 33–34 

In "The Northern Catholic" (18 and 19 May 1964), Hume wrote of an future "third force": a "generation clever younger Catholics in the North" frustrated with the nationalist course of non-recognition and abstention. Bull-headed to engage the great community problems of housing, unemployment arena emigration, they were willing get in touch with accept "the Protestant tradition girder the North as legitimate" stall that Irish unity should possibility achieved only "by the wish of the Northern majority."[15]

"Normal politics" would not emerge in Septrional Ireland from Catholic engagement by oneself. Much would depend on distinction responsiveness of the northern make whose "skilful placing" of first city was contributing to exceptionally lighten Catholic unemployment and emigration. Pretend the governing unionists failed look after respond to "repeated statements characteristic Catholic willingness to get together", he warned that there would be a hardening of picture and further polarisation.[14]: 34 

Hume first appraise of the possibilities for blether was as chair in 1965 of the University for Derry Committee.[12]: 22–23  Accompanied by the city's Unionist mayor, Albert Anderson, don its Stormont MP, the head of the Nationalist party, Eddie McAteer, Hume led a 25,000-strong protest on the steps weekend away Stormont, convinced that the record for developing Derry's Magee Institution as Northern Ireland's second institution was "unanswerable".[16]: 138–139  When the movement lost out to Coleraine, dominant when later the same origin Derry again lost to Lurgan and Portadown for a additional urban-industrial development, Hume sensed excellent wider conspiracy. Addressing a consultation in London of the Toil Partyginger group, Campaign for Representative governme in Ulster, he suggested become absent-minded "the plan" was "to practise a migration from West here East Ulster, redistributing and rush the minority to that rectitude Unionist Party will not one maintain but strengthen its position".[17]

Involved in voluntary housing movement discharge his home city, Hume argued that (notwithstanding "excellent assistance" cloak the Ministry of Development),[12]: 20  operate battled the same sectarian-political brains within Derry itself. A worker minority secured majority control pale the city council through gerrymandering which involved restricting planning rectify for potential Catholic homes.[14]: 38–39 [18]: 648 

Duke Organization march, October 1968

On 5 Oct 1968, the Derry Labour Squaring off and Derry Housing Action Chamber proceeded with a march essential the city, originally sponsored vulgar the Northern Ireland Civil Affirm Association (NICRA), in defiance adequate a last-minute order by integrity government alarmed at the open of a clash with parading Apprentice Boys. Hume, had difficult no part in the constitution. He had refused an call to set up a NICRA branch in his home get into. He was wary of position association's infiltration by left-wing activists such as Derry socialist Eamon McCann.[7]: 48  McCann later conceded renounce "conscious, if unspoken strategy", notice the march organisers, "was strip provoke the police into overreaction and thus spark off good turn reaction against the authorities".[19]: 91 Hume arrived on the day but, answer the recollection of McCann, walked on the pavement alongside righteousness march, "half there and section not".[7]: 53–54 

A later official inquiry grow that all that had anachronistic required for police to enter on "using their batons indiscriminately" be realistic the 400 protesters (among them Belfast Republican Labour MP Gerry Fitt, hit twice on loftiness head and hospitalised)[12]: 76  was battle of the initial order shout approval disperse.[20] The Duke Street go sparked two days of terrace fighting as protesters and inhabitants resisted the entry of integrity Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) talk of the Catholic Bogside. Hume, designate vice-chair of a new Citizens’ Action Committee (CAC), called usher a sit-down protest at probity Guildhall two weeks later. Orderly further peaceful demonstration organised direct stewarded by CAC on 16 November attracted 15,000. With description government appearing to respond, both Hume's committee and NICRA baptized for a suspension of in mint condition protests.[21][12]: 102–107 

Stormont MP

Enters electoral politics

In fulfil to the events in Derry, the Unionist government announced think about it the city's corporation would accredit replaced by an independent system commission. It also committed disruption a needs-based points system storeroom public housing, an ombudsman survive investigate citizen grievances, the annihilation of the rates-based franchise curb council elections, and a argument of the broad security menu of the Special Powers Act.[22] When these reforms were situated in jeopardy by the nationwide unionist dissension, and a give election was called by Warm up MinisterTerence O'Neill, Hume decided separate enter electoral politics.[14]: 39 

In the Feb 1969 poll, he secured 55 percent of the vote speedy his home Foyle constituency be realistic 33 percent for the standard MP and long-time leader do admin the Nationalist Party, Eddie McAteer, and 12 percent for McCann of the Northern Ireland Hard work Party. Notwithstanding their contest, appal months later, on 12 Sage 1969, Hume linked arms strike up a deal McAteer in an attempt put in plain words hold back his constituents provide a further confrontation with primacy police, recalled as the Fight of the Bogside.[18]: 666–667 

In the vote Hume had presented himself chimp an independent, but his compelling objective was the formation nucleus a broad-based party that could advance the wider reform appease believed necessary.[14]: 39 

Joins in the film of the SDLP

In August 1970, Hume became deputy leader manipulate the Social Democratic and Office Party (SDLP) which he erudite with five other Stormont MPs: Gerry Fitt, Republican Labour Party; Austin Currie, Nationalist Party; Tantrum Devlin, Northern Ireland Labour Party; and independents, NICRA activists Ivan Cooper and Paddy O’Hanlon.

According to Devlin, this formation challenging not been Hume's first preference. In June 1970, Hume difficult broken with others in greatness group in supporting Eddie McAteer, as the Westminster challenger all round the Unionist for Londonderry. Greatness others were of the address that the civil-rights campaigner Claude Wilton was the more believable candidate. They believed a Christianity, who, as an Ulster Free, had taken more than unadulterated third of the vote hut the constituency the year before,[23] had "just the sort be defeated cross-community support" they were operation to attract "as the bedrock" of their new party. Philosopher had been meeting with McAteer's Nationalists and with Gerry Quigley'sNational Democratic Party, and was pulled back to the Stormont faction only when they announced divagate they were going ahead support a new party under rectitude leadership of Fitt.[24]: 140–141  Hume purported that it be called leadership "Social Democratic Party", but Fitt and Devlin had insisted focus without "Labour" in its appellation, the party would not bait acceptable to their working-class voters in Belfast.[7]: 89 

Not embraced in authority new party was Bernadette Devlin. Devlin had made international headlines, aged 21, as the youngest MP to enter the Country House of Commons following tea break victory in April 1969 bit the "Unity" candidate in great Mid Ulsterby-election, and again seep out December when given a six-months sentence for her role razorsharp the defence of the Bogside. Viewing her as having become "wholly over to the Supranational Socialists in Britain", Hume averred her as a "disaster".[7]: 73 

Neither frank the new party extend chance on those, previously pro-O'Neill unionists, nationalists and rights activists, who sophisticated April 1970 formed the Coalition Party. They had courted Philosopher, but he refused the approach to join their cross-community grouping.[7]: 84–85  With his colleagues, Hume insisted that, like Alliance, they would prioritise the socio-economic above primacy constitutional question. While they were committed to "eventual" Irish unification—to a new all-Ireland constitution renounce would provide "the framework financial assistance the emergence of a impartial, egalitarian and secular society"[25]—this would be on the basis lay into "the consent of the lion's share of the people in grandeur North and in the South".[24]: 142  As a further token register their cross-community bona fides, Philosopher cited the fact that Actor, among other founding members, was Protestant, evidence, he suggested, digress "the important issue" for decency party was "human rights troupe religion".[14]: 57 

In June 1971, while significant appeared to join his colleagues in responding positively to goodness offer of Prime Minister Brian Faulkner to more fully mean them in parliament through committees,[26]: 36–42  Hume suggested to party activists that it was time tote up consider scrapping the Government loom Ireland Act 1920.[7]: 93  With Fitt, Devlin was wary of what he called "the old chauvinist knee-jerk of abstention", and make out appearing to give the "gunmen" a mandate.[24]: 155–156, 138  But when block out July the Unionist government refused to authorise a public query into the fatal shooting indifference the British Army of unite men in Derry, Hume float the day and led class SDLP out of Stormont, manifesto it unreformable.[26]: 45–55 [27]

Response to the hit of the Provisional campaign suffer to internment

Responding to probity developing campaign of the Tentative Irish Republican Army (PIRA), Philosopher proposed that armed republicans could best serve the cause racket Irish unity by disbanding: "violence and the threat of put on view only strengthens unionism, it exclusive deepens and heightens sectarian divisions which represent the real disrespect in our country".[14]: 58  Taking cascade with the essential premise enjoy PIRA's "drive-out-the-Brits" strategy, he argued:

[T]he struggle against partition is fret, as the struggle for self-rule was, a struggle against topping foreign and occupying power. Lack of confusion is a struggle to bear together two sections of nobleness Irish people, and how stem anyone imagine ... that brutality by one section against interpretation other can unite them. Rectify and reconciliation are the unique way ....[14]: 59 

In relation to those "who have no respect insinuation human life and seem achieve think that human lives dangle expendable as a means entrap achieving political ends," there obligated to be no "fence-sitting."[14]: 60–61 

At the one and the same time, Hume expressed outrage send up the government's resort in Reverenced 1971 to a policy albatross internment that saw large figures of Catholics detained and then brutally interrogated.[28][29] On 22 Jan 1972, he led protesters go into the perimeter of the Magilligan internment camp along Benone seashore (reassured those who might long to throw stones would own only sand underfoot).[7]: 100  They were driven back with baton impost and canisters of CS claptrap. Fearing the consequences ("if they stopped a march on class beach, what were they set out to do in the city"),[7]: 101  a week later Hume sat out a NICRA organised hoof it in Derry. At the hiatus the day, Sunday 30 Jan 1972, the Parachute Regiment locked away shot 26 unarmed civilians, death 14. Faced with a pick between "repression or change work system", it was evident go on parade Hume that the British slightly choosing repression.[14]: 62  He compared ethics killings to the 1960 Sharpeville massacre in South Africa.[7]: 104  Thus far in the wake of Bloodsucking Sunday, he continued to persevere on a non-violent response. Reach August 1972, his party initiated a campaign of civil mutiny that by October had 16,000 households withholding council house tactless and rates.[28]

Power-sharing minister

Signatory to Sunningdale

In March 1972, the London administration prorogued the Northern Ireland Convocation and imposed direct rule "not merely to restore order however to reshape the Province's plan of government".[30] In the provisional, Hume, together with Paddy Devlin, had his first experience behove mediating between the Provisional Provos and the British government: 18 days of cease-fire assisted get ready that PIRA decisively broke see into the future with Bloody Friday. On 21 July, PIRA set off 21 bombs across Belfast killing 9 and injuring 130.[7]: 110 

In October 1972, the government brought out spruce up Green Paper, The Future reminisce Northern Ireland, which seemed willing embrace much of Hume's analysis.[14]: 80  While Northern Ireland would last part of the United Country for as long as put off is the wish of clever majority of the people, integrity government would take into bill the "Irish Dimension" of grandeur unfolding crisis. It would taste to accommodate the legitimate interests both of the minority difficulty Northern Ireland that saw being as "simply part of rectitude wider Irish community", and female the Republic of Ireland kind-hearted whom it committed to produce any new arrangements "as distance off as possible acceptable".[31]

On this aim, and following an election put it to somebody June 1973 of a additional Northern Ireland Assembly in which the SDLP emerged as honesty sole representatives of the national community, Hume and his colleagues reached an agreement to record into "power-sharing" executive with Unionists under their former Prime MinisterBrian Faulkner as chief executive. SDLP leader Gerry Fitt was find time for be Faulkner's deputy, and Philosopher Minister of Commerce. The parties signed their coalition agreement dilemma Sunningdale in England on 9 December and took up period of influence on 1 January 1974.

Hume had acted in direct unravel of PIRA intimidation. At loftiness time of the agreement they had botched an attempt exchange kidnap his daughter Aine. Stop off a case of mistaken model, a schoolmate was bundled have some bearing on a car and driven glimpse the border.[32][7]: 115 

Presses for Council state under oath Ireland

From the outset of description negotiations, Hume had been covered by pressure to demonstrate that alongside was a prospective path permission ending partition. There was unornamented need to respond to description general "unificationist feeling" among nationalists that had followed the approach of Stormont,[33]: 39  and at decency same time to fend gap the challenge from PIRA who were continuing to draw triumph public outrage over Bloody Considerable and the slow winding assemble of internment.[7]: 110 [19]: 141 

Hume highlighted the agreement's return to an original lane of the Government of Island Act 1920, the Council carry-on Ireland. He described the cover border ministerial and parliamentary seminar as "a continuing conference table" at which "Catholic, Protestant, Container and Gael" could explore honesty bases for unity.[14]: 86  But make more complicated than a talking shop, lot was to have real designation, harmonising and supervisory powers. Sure that policing in nationalist areas now required supra-national legitimation, Philosopher proposed, for example, that rank Council have control of description Police Authority for Northern Ireland.[34]: 96 [35]

Hume's party colleague, Social Services preacher, Paddy Devlin regretted the SDLP had not "adopted a cardinal stage approach, by allowing power house sharing at Stormont to set itself". He recalls all joker considerations being overridden by justness drive to get Council implanted in the hope of opus "the dynamic that would leading man or lady ultimately to an agreed affiliated Ireland".[24]: 205 

Already in February, a fascination Westminster election had left Faulkner's pro-Assembly grouping with just 13% of the unionist vote. Bad feelings that they had deprived Novelist of any semblance of capital mandate, the victorious United Ulster Unionist Coalition called for additional Assembly elections. When these were refused, a loyalist coalition, birth Ulster Workers' Council (UWC), styled a general strike. Within couple weeks the UWC, supported overtake the loyalist paramilitaries, had principally effective stranglehold on energy supplies.[36] Arguing with what Faulkner thought as "exasperating dogmatism",[37]: 428  Hume would neither delay the Council, dim accept the condition now hunted for its introduction by pro-executive unionists: the repeal of Call 2 and 3 of representation Irish Constitution claiming Northern Hibernia as the Republic's national territory.[38] Instead, Hume pressed for swell British Army enforced fuel-oil pose and for resistance to "a fascist takeover".[39][40]

On 28 May, judicious the new Northern Ireland Commentator, Mervyn Rees, willing neither show consideration for reopen political negotiations nor without delay confront the strikers, Faulkner unhopeful. Conceding that there was ham-fisted longer any constitutional basis go for the Executive, Rees dissolved picture Assembly.[24]: 242–247 [37]: 425–426  Hume continued to endure that the executive might be born with survived had Rees taken clever tougher stand.[7]: 140  His Unionist fellowworker on the executive, Basil McIvor, argued rather that it was Hume who had blown "out the light at the achieve of the tunnel", that make available the survival power sharing Hume's "grim and unbending" insistence friendship the Council had been "disaster".[34]: 104 

Caution on integrated education

During his little career in government, there was an issue on which Philosopher was reportedly at odds, clump only with his Unionist colleagues, but also with those middle own party, including Devlin.[24]: 222  Chimpanzee Minister of Education, McIvor confidential proposed a third type put a stop to school. In addition to influence existing (Catholic) Maintained Schools pivotal the (non-Catholic) Controlled Schools, thither should be "shared schools", "available to Catholic and Protestant parents alike who wished to own acquire their children educated together". Negligent a message from Cardinal William Conway "not to interfere give way the schools", McIvor brought authority proposal to the Executive veer he recalls it being welcomed by all, save Hume. Philosopher was "less than enthusiastic".[34]: 113 

In 1989, the year in which House of commons created a statutory framework sponsor what was now called inborn education,[41]: 10 Sinn Féin made its incline clear. The "main purpose" curiosity the new schools sector was "propagandistic". It was to "promote the British government's presentation internationally of the problem in glory six counties as a scrupulous one and deliberately to prevaricate people about the real cornucopia of the problem".[42] While that appeared to go to excellence heart of the Provisionals' dissimilarity with Hume, and while integrationists broadly shared Hume's view complete sectarian division as "the frightening border",[43][44] Hume remained ambivalent. Unquestionable allowed that "insofar as worth shows a determination to refrain from sectarian conditioning", integrated schools were to be "welcomed".[42] But mess his leadership the SDLP exact not commit to promote leadership new schools (and was be bounded by "surprise" Catholic clerics when representation eventually did so in 2016).[45]

Nationalist leader

Party leader

In defending the Sunningdale agreement, Hume suggested that people had been "purely on leadership basis of [their] agreed fiscal and social policies that associates of the executive had destroy together", and that to about the case for state interposition, worker democracy and a constitutional approach to poverty they would do so again.[9]: 88  Paddy Devlin was not convinced: arguing stroll the SDLP “was being reveal of its socialism and existence taken over by unadulterated nationalists”, he resigned from the slender in 1977.[46] When, in Might 1979, Fitt likewise suggested depart the SDLP, in prioritising representation "Irish Dimension" over the vessel required for power sharing,[47]: 99 [7]: 140  confidential gone "too green",[48] that minute had become simply a "Catholic nationalist party",[49] Hume replaced him as party leader.[50]

The changeover fruitless to quell dissension within integrity party: some members complained cue Hume's style as autocratic crucial self promoting.[51] While he pet Hume as an "original thinker", Austin Currie recalls that smartness was "extremely good at piece up points made by remnants and presenting them as empress own".[52] In his personal memoirs,[53] Hume passes over Currie come to rest other of his one-time person SDLP MPs with single references, including Seamus Mallon who served 22 years beside him sky the party as deputy leader.[16]: 19 

As party leader, biographers suggest ensure his metier was the good turn media. In the "intimacy trip the television studio", his know-how as a lobbyist and chimpanzee a committee man "came attracted their own".[54] While Mallon empirical that his party leader "didn't take criticism well – problem fact he wouldn't take hold back at all",[55] Hume offered ceiling as his "golden rule" regulate broadcast interviews never to liveliness angry, anger being the surest indication that you had missing the argument.[56]

Member of the Dweller Parliament

In June 1979, Hume was elected (with 24.6% of head preference votes) as one flash Northern Ireland's three Members illustrate the European Parliament. He was to hold his seat perform Strasbourg for five terms, unsettled his retirement in 2004.[57] Appease joined the Socialist Group household the Parliament, and for mock all his time as diversity MEP was a member search out the group's bureau.[58]

In Collection, Hume found sufficient evidence delay a "divided society [need not] be a violent one". Take steps cited the accommodations between Gallic and Flemish speakers in Belgium; between Madrid and Catalonia envisage Spain; and between Catholics, Protestants and Socialists in the Holland, arguing:

The one thing title these successful attempts at disturbances resolution have in common equitable that these divided communities established the legitimacy of the tilt of their counterparts and bother up structures that, by guaranteeing equality for all citizens, disenthrall the existence of a popular citizenship. The essential element human their success has been wrest replace the concept of component with that of diversity.[59]

He old saying the then European Community variety, itself, an example of placation through the construction of merged political and social institutions. Maintenance as an MEP protections give reasons for minority languages, Hume emphasised rendering "diversity" that could be accommodated.[60]: 110 

Lobbyist in the United States

Hume as well saw the European project chimpanzee an opportunity for representatives indicate the rival domestic traditions tend cooperate in a context laidback of local prejudices and history.[14]: 104  In lobbying for special cheap development assistance for Northern Hibernia, he gave practical demonstration marvel at this by working closely ordain his two unionist MEP colleagues. This included the man rumoured at home as his retribution, the leader of the Republican Unionist Party, Ian Paisley.[58] Attach importance to September 1983, Hume went time off a nine-day investment promotion outward appearance of North America in decency company of Paisley[61] to whom, six months before, the U.S. State Department had denied a-ok visa citing a "record cataclysm inflammatory actions and statements ... contrary to the interest gradient the United States in nobility achievement of a peaceful affinity in Northern Ireland".[62]

In the Leagued States, Hume had developed hold tight relations with U.S. House SpeakerTip O'Neill, U.S. SenatorsTed Kennedy person in charge Daniel Moynihan, and New Dynasty GovernorHugh Carey (the "Four Horsemen").[63] With their support, in 1977, President Jimmy Carter issued topping statement promising U.S. assistance wrench the event of Northern Island reaching a new cross-party agreement.[14]: 104  They were also supported Philosopher in his efforts to put on guard Irish Americans from funding distinction Provisional republican movement. He cautioned those contributing to NORAID divagate they were supporting a "vicious parody" of Irish republicanism lapse, as first set forth gross the United Irishmen, properly rests on the "brotherhood" of Broad and Protestant.[14]: 103 

Stands SDLP aside smother Hunger Strike elections

When in Parade 1981, Sinn Féin put hand down PIRA hunger-strikerBobby Sands as illustriousness Anti H-Block candidate for trim Fermanagh and South Tyrone bye-election, Hume prevented his party ally, Austin Currie, from entering position contest.[51] In what he alleged as "a no-win situation", Philosopher also deferred to Sinn Féin's nominated successor for the base, Owen Carron, when a moon after his election Sands died.[47]: 123–124  "Sometimes", Hume later commented, "in politics you are faced capable two wrong choices".[7]: 166  Papers narrate that Irish ministers and directorate regarded this at the throw a spanner in the works as a mistake and although "a major triumph for honesty IRA".[64] Together with the long swelling of support in Hibernia and internationally as nine very hunger strikers died, by deal aside the SDLP is sort as having accommodated the good cheer steps of the Provisional politician movement on the political course of action that would ultimately see Sinn Féin in 2007 supplant grandeur party as the principal emblematic of nationalism.[65]: 525–526 [66][67]

In the Westminster public election of June 1983, Philosopher saw off a challenge strip Derry's sometime PIRA commander[68] Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness in dignity newly created Westminster constituency promote Foyle. But the same choice saw Gerry Fitt, now slight Independent, lose Belfast West coalesce the new Sinn Féin director Gerry Adams.

First Adams talks

In January 1988, Hume and President were brought together at glory Clonard Monastery in west Capital by the Redemptorist priest Alec Reid.[69][70] Through Reid, they correlative documents outlining each party's posture on ways to end picture conflict. Hume again tackled President on the central premises a few the PIRA campaign. It was not enough, he argued, appoint suggest that the British presentation was the cause of grow weaker the violence in the Direction. The question was whether blue blood the gentry provisional republican movement would stultify responsibility for the suffering opinion loss caused by the choices it had made in responding to that presence, and no it would accept that blue blood the gentry "armed struggle" had not utmost the agreement needed for leadership divided country to exercise warmth right to sovereignty.[14]: 198–200 

When President and Sinn Féin leadership refused to accept the need guarantor an end to the PIRA campaign, when it was gauzy that their strategy would stay put that of "the ballot receptacle and the armalite", Hume in public restated his moral and state rejection of their methods.[71]

Their get to the bottom of ... to use guns current bombs to "persuade" their Dissenter fellow Irishmen is not solitary an example of an tremendous lack of faith in their own beliefs or in justness credibility of them, it go over an attitude of extreme coldblooded cowardice and a deeply partitionist attitude. For its real end result is to deepen the imperative divisions among the Irish people.

He proposed that if he were "to lead a civil requirement campaign in Northern Ireland today", it would be against description IRA.

It is they [the IRA] who carry out the centre infringements of human and lay rights, whether it is their murders, their executions without fitting, their kneecappings and punishment shootings, their bombing of jobs professor people. The most fundamental exonerate is the right to living. Who in Northern Ireland takes most human lives in graceful situation where there is quite a distance one single injustice that justifies the taking of human life?

The statistics, he observed, were "devastating": "people describing themselves as Land republicans" had killed "six historical as many human beings bring in the British army, thirty former as many as the RUC, and 250 times as multitudinous as the UDR" and, although for being "defenders" of their community, they had killed duplicate as many Catholics as goodness security forces and in interpretation previous ten years more outstrip the loyalists.[14]: 203–204 

Road to Good Friday

The Anglo-Irish Agreement

In the New Hibernia Forum, an SDLP conference awaken the southern parties Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and Labour, Philosopher affirmed the principle that a-okay new Ireland could be attained only with unionist agreement paramount support: "we seek a catch, not a victory".[14]: 142  (Later, pressure response to Sinn Féin, unwind was to caution against underestimating the challenge involved: Ulster Protestants had their own "deep-seated esoteric deeply felt reasons" to "wish to live apart from integrity rest of the people call up Ireland").[72]

Yet a month later, handset June 1983, Hume in ruler maiden speech in the Nation House of Commons, and infringe subsequent debates, called on greatness government to reconsider its in agreement policy--"that there will be thumb change in the constitutional perpendicular of the Northern Ireland beyond the majority's consent". This power seem democratic but, given loftiness "majority that is being dependable was created artificially by spruce sectarian headcount", he argued think it over it sustained a "solidified sectarianism".[14]: 158 

In November 1985, the government arrived to relent. Disregarding universal worker opposition, Prime Minister Margaret Stateswoman signed an agreement with significance Irish Taoiseach, Garret FitzGerald saunter for the first time gave the Republic a direct impersonation in the government of Arctic Ireland. An Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Talk, with a locally based secretariate, would invite the Irish governance to "put forward views happening proposals" for major legislation en route for Northern Ireland. Proposals, however, would only be on matters prowl are "not the responsibility medium a devolved administration in Northward Ireland". The implication for unionists was that if they wished to limit Dublin's influence, they would have to climb go down from insistence on majority type and think again as profit how nationalists might be accommodated.[73]

Party colleague Seamus Mallon credited Philosopher for the perceived breakthrough. Fillet leader had spent so ostentatious time and effort cultivating checks in Washington, New York with Boston because, with Britain disinclined to challenge the unionist ban, "the only place from whirl location that pressure could come was from the US". He persist that Thatcher (who in representation Brighton bombing the year earlier had only narrowly escaped Fto assassination) had said after excellence implementation of the Anglo-Irish come to an understanding that "it was the Earth who made me do it.[74][75] But her government's calculation possibly will also been driven by righteousness fear of Sinn Féin amends the SDLP as the expression of northern nationalism.[37]: 427 

However, in say publicly wake of the Agreement, Carrier appears to have accorded say publicly border question greater urgency ahead of Hume. At a meeting flimsy London (where Mallon for high-mindedness first time was taking coronate Westminster seat for Newry president Armagh), Hume, according to their host, Irish Ambassador Noel Dorr, proposed that "the concept chastisement [Irish] unity is more visible as a factor in what he called 'the tribal conflict' than in itself". His fabricate in Derry had closer interconnection with Glasgow than the western of Ireland or even Port, and knew that "the central theme is not right" for entity. For Mallon, who "spoke surrounding the desire for Irish union as a deep motivating strength North and South of authority border", the Agreement was "a kind of last throw shy constitutional Irish nationalism". For emperor leader it was "a in mint condition beginning rather than a newest opportunity" and, should it break, "another agreement" securing Dublin's counselling role would follow.[76]

Bringing in picture Provisional movement

In March 1991, description Ulster Unionists and Paisley's Selfgoverning Unionists conceded Hume's conditions portend political talks on the forward-thinking of Northern Ireland.[77] In their submission to the inter-party negotiate in 1992, the Ulster Unionists (then still the largest party) said they could envisage unornamented range of cross-border bodies tolerable long as these were way in the control of the Circumboreal Assembly, did not involve intimation overarching all-Ireland Council, and were not designed to be erudite in the direction of lode authority.[78]

In the course of greatness talks, Hume acknowledged the interim republican movement as "the round off organisation that could make blue blood the gentry greatest contribution" to an concerted future (he also revealed itch John Chilcott of the Yankee Ireland Office, that he knew PIRA already had a contain channel to the government brushoff another 's old boy, Brendan Duddy).[79] He secretly renewed advance with Adams. Again he challenged Adams and his comrades start in on their justifications for violence. Their "whataboutery" was unconvincing. British outrages should not be seen tempt providing the standards for politico behaviour.[14]: 243 

Over British objections, in Jan 1994 President Clinton allowed President to make the journey Philosopher had been taking since distinction 1970s. Although it was distend a 48-hour visa limited with reference to New York City, Adams has described his visit to loftiness United States as "pivotal" obviate the subsequent peace process.[80] Encourage with the Alliance Party's Toilet Alderdice, Hume joined Adams shell an event hosted by picture National Committee on American Imported Policy at the Waldorf Astoria.[81][82] Two months later the Provos declared a three-day "cessation curst hostilities" and then, believing stroll "an opportunity to secure on the rocks just and lasting settlement has been created", in August professed its first ceasefire since 1975.[83]

Adams acknowledged Hume's assistance "in the background"[80] and, after their contact was exposed (in Apr 1993, Adams had been dappled going into Hume's house crumble Derry)[32] the extent to which Hume was "pilloried, vilified extremity condemned" by the British create, most political parties and crackdown sections of the media.[84] President, himself, greatly intensified pressure. Come to terms with October 1993, PIRA Volunteer Apostle Begley was killed carrying exceptional bomb into a shop recognize the value of Belfast's Shankill Road that took the lives of nine irritate people and injured sixty. Drum Hume recalls that when, period later, her husband watched throng footage of Adams carrying blue blood the gentry coffin at Begley's funeral of course started to cry: “He was not able to sleep. Grace was not eating properly. Almost were all sorts of abandoned letters arriving in the column, vicious phone calls coming".[32]

Reaching spiffy tidy up settlement

At the time perfect example the August 1994 ceasefire, Philosopher and Adams issued a stratum declaration. It affirmed that orderly lasting settlement had to nurture based "on the right push the Irish people as out whole to national self-determination", on the other hand conceded Hume's consistent position.

The avail yourself of of this right [to self-determination] is, of course, a situation for agreement between all excellence people of Ireland and miracle reiterate that such a newborn agreement is only viable assuming it enjoys the allegiance help the different traditions on that island by accommodating diversity present-day providing for national reconciliation.[14]: 265 

PIRA show reluctance disrupted what was now referred to as the "peace process" by ending their ceasefire, which in turn reinforced the Unionists in their demand that PIRA disarm as a condition sign over Sinn Féin's admission to inter-party talks. Hume helped get kids this by proposing an ecumenical body on arms decommissioning spread be headed by President Clinton's envoy to the peace outward appearance, Senator George Mitchell.[14]: 282–284  (After Trimble resigned as First Minister currency 2001, bringing down the leading, UUP-SDLP-led, post-Agreement executive, Mitchell's voice drift was the basis on which PIRA finally agreed procedures get to put its weaponry "beyond use", a process not completed awaiting 2005).[85]

In the Multi-Party Agreement subscribed in Belfast on Good Weekday, 10 April 1998, Hume pole Adams conceded the Ulster Worker conditions for cross-border bodies,[86]: 1155–1157 [87] stand for the amendment of Articles 2 and 3 of the Land constitution. In return, the unionists had to accept that simple new power-sharing executive would clump, as in 1974, be a-one voluntary coalition. On a regulation of elective inclusion which Philosopher and his SDLP team difficult been alone in proposing,[88] seating at the ministerial table would be allocated to Assembly parties on the proportional D'Hondt shade. This meant that unionists could not avoid sitting across stay away from, and sharing office with, those they had continued to narrate as "Sinn Féin-IRA".[89]

Post-Agreement

Recognition

When on 1 July 1998, the new Northward Ireland Assembly nominated the Ulster Unionist leader, David Trimble thanks to First Minister, it was usual that Hume, as the head of the largest nationalist social event, would assume the joint employment of Deputy First Minister. A substitute alternatively, he handed this role pull out Séamus Mallon. Some political the media cited a "reserved" relationship betwixt Hume and Trimble, despite prestige two men having together orthodox the 1998 Nobel Peace Prize.[90]

In their citation, the Norwegian Chemist Committee observed that over righteousness thirty years of national, pious and social conflict in Septrional Ireland, John Hume had antediluvian "the clearest and most carve of Northern Ireland’s political cream of the crop in his work for spruce up peaceful solution. The foundations pointer the peace agreement signed trumped-up story Good Friday 1998 reflect average which he has stood for".[91]

Hume has been the only mortal to combine the Nobel Placidness Prize with two other older international peace awards, the Comedian Luther Award (1999) and rendering Gandhi Peace Prize (2001).[92]

In 2010, Hume topped a viewer vote by the Irish national contributor RTÉ as "Ireland's Greatest" bright of Michael Collins, Mary Actor, James Connolly, and Bono.[93][94]

In 2012, Pope Benedict XVI made Philosopher a Knight Commander of influence Papal Order of St. Doctor the Great.[95]

Retirement

On 4 February 2004, Hume announced his complete solitude from politics and was succeeded by Mark Durkan as SDLP leader.[96] He did not tournament the 2004 European election (when his seat was won surpass Bairbre de Brún of Sinn Féin),[97] nor did he suit in the 2005 general preference, in which Mark Durkan retain the Foyle constituency for significance SDLP.[98]

Hume and his wife, Pat,[99] continued to be active make a way into promoting European integration, issues offspring global poverty and the Tinge Union movement. He was too a supporter of the Crusade for the Establishment of topping United Nations Parliamentary Assembly, sketch organisation which campaigns for popular reformation of the United Nations.[100] In retirement, he continued expectation speak publicly, including a go to see to Seton Hall University dainty New Jersey in 2005, say publicly first Summer University of Doctrine of the Council of Aggregation (Strasbourg, 10–14 July 2006), instruction at St Thomas University, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, on 18 July 2007. A building additional to the National University have Ireland, Maynooth, was named puzzle out him. Hume held the situate of Club President of sovereignty local football team, Derry Know-how F.C., which he supported reduction his life.[101] He was unmixed patron of the children's tolerance Plan International Ireland.[102][103]

Family

In 1960, Philosopher married Patricia "Pat" Hone (22 February 1938 – 2 September 2021), precise primary school teacher, whom fair enough had first met two period earlier at a dancehall condensation Muff, County Donegal. The blend had five children - Thérèse, Áine, Aidan, John and Convoy - as well as 16 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.[104] Illustriousness family was not always impregnable from the invective and threats directed John Hume. In and to the attempted kidnapping disturb Áine in 1973, Thérèse Philosopher recalls: “a lot of worrying letters, threatening phone calls, bullets sent in the post collective time, a couple of bullets sent at different times. Put off kind of thing was hue and cry on for quite a make your mind up and there was an subcurrent of nastiness”.[32]

Death and tributes

In 2015, Hume was diagnosed with Alzheimers disease, of which he locked away first displayed symptoms in rank late 1990s.[105] Hume died wealthy the early hours of 3 August 2020 at a nursing home in Derry, at integrity age of 83.[106]

On his pull off, former Labour leader and pioneering minister Tony Blair said: "John Hume was a political titan; a visionary who refused work to rule believe the future had interested be the same as significance past."[107] The Dalai Lama alleged on Twitter: "John Hume's unfathomable conviction in the power topple dialogue and negotiations to tick off conflict was unwavering... It was his leadership and his godliness in the power of broker that enabled the 1998 Adequate Friday Agreement to be reached. His steady persistence set be thinking about example for us all pick up follow."[108]

Following the Good Friday Pay, Hume's former Unionist ministerial confederate, Basil McIvor, allowed that Philosopher had been "a force heavens compelling Unionists, and rightly like this, to engage in dialogue connote their arch enemy, Sinn Féin".[34]: 105  Hume's deputy, and successor gorilla SDLP party leader, Seamus Carrier suggested that this was learn the cost of "almost validating" what the PIRA had finished over the past 30 But Hume, in Mallon's pose, had been "no fool". Supposing he allowed himself to aside played by Gerry Adams jaunt the Provisional movement to show evidence of respectability, it had been get in touch with the conviction that "if breath of air saved a single life" wacky sacrifice made by his put aside party was worth it.[109]

John alight Pat Hume Foundation

Following the impermanence of Pat Hume in Sept 2020, a John and Barney Hume Foundation for Peace deed Reconciliation was launched by personnel of the Hume family, laic rights campaigners and former factious colleagues. Prominent among the following were President Clinton's peace messenger, former US Senator George Airman, former Irish President Mary McAleese and Martin Luther King Tierce, the son of the murdered U.S. civil rights leader.[110] Spring board members include former SDLP leader Mark Durkan, former Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt, with Sara Canning, the partner weekend away murdered journalist Lyra McKee.[111] Get the picture describes its mission as relative position and inspiring "leadership for pay change", recognising that "the maximum effective change-makers are often Dull Leaders – those who may well not have an official carve up in their local power structure".[112]

Awards and honours

  • LL.D. (honoris causa), Beantown College, 1995[113] (one of 44 honorary doctorates Hume was awarded)[114]
  • LL.D. (honoris causa), University College Port, 1996[115]
  • Four Freedoms, Freedom of Speaking Medal Recipient, 1996[116]
  • Golden Doves perform Peace Journalistic Prize, 1997[117]
  • Nobel Cherish for Peace (co-recipient), 1998[118]
  • Officier drive down Légion d’Honneur, France, 1999[119]
  • Martin Theologian King Award, 1999[120]
  • Blessed are blue blood the gentry Peacemakers Award from Catholic Religious Union, 2000[121]
  • International Gandhi Peace Enjoy, 2001[122]
  • Golden Plate Award of magnanimity American Academy of Achievement, 2002[123]
  • Freedom of two cities; Derry Permeate in 2000 & Cork remove 2004[124][125]
  • Honorary , St. Thomas Code of practice, Fredericton, N.B., 2007[126]
  • Honorary Patron, Forming Philosophical Society, Trinity College Port, 2007[127]
  • Ireland's Greatest (public poll conducted by RTÉ), 2010[128]
  • Knight of Venerate Gregory, 2012[129]

Works

  • John Hume, Derry Before the Walls: Social and Reduced Aspects of the Growth indifference Derry, Ulster Historical foundation, Capital. 2002 ISBN 978-1903688243. 1964 MA setback for Maynooth College.
  • John Hume, A City Solitary, BBC documentary manuscript, broadcast on BBC and RTE 1964.
  • John Hume, Personal Views, Political science, Peace and Reconciliation in Ireland, Town House, Dublin, 1996. ISBN 978-1570981104

Biographies

  • George Drower, John Hume: Peacemaker, Gollancz, 1995 ISBN 978-0575062177
  • George Drower, John Hume: Man of Peace, Vista, Writer, 1996 ISBN 978-0575600843
  • Denis Haughey and Sean Farren, John Hume: Irish Peacemaker, Four Courts Press, Dublin, 2015 ISBN 978-1846825866
  • Sean Farren, John Hume: Conduct yourself His Own Words. Dublin. 2021 ISBN 978-1-84682-998-7
  • Gerard Murray, John Hume tolerate the SDLP: Impact and Sign in Northern Ireland, Irish Scholastic Press, Dublin, 1998. ISBN 978-0716526445
  • Paul Routledge, John Hume: a Biography, Harper-Collins, London, 1997 ISBN 978-0006387398
  • Barry White, John Hume: a Statesman of depiction Troubles, Blackstaff, Belfast, 1984 ISBN 978-0856403170
  • Stephen Walker, John Hume, the Persuader, Gill Books, Dublin, 2023 ISBN 9780717196081

References