Tributes paid to Northern Ireland's peacemaker John Hume who died of dementia

Tributes have been paid at the funeral of civil rights campaigner John Hume, who helped deliver peace in Northern Ireland and died of dementia.

John Hume, who lived in a care home and died aged 83, has been lauded as the man largely responsible for bringing peace to Northern Ireland by peaceful means, but dementia took all memory of his life's work from him.

He ‘doesn’t remember the peace process’

A founding member of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) in 1970, Mr Hume’s struggles for peace led to the delivery of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.

The Nobel Peace Prize laureate John Hume lived in a care home in Londonderry and died in the early hours of Monday, 3 August. Mr Hume's wife admitted that dementia had left him unable to remember the peace process that he helped to build.

In an RTE television programme highlighting Mr Hume's legacy, Pat Hume stood on the Peace Bridge in Londonderry in 2018 and spoke about living with dementia.

Pat Hume said: "He actually doesn't remember the peace process now, that he spent his entire life [on]."

Mrs Hume said her husband's memory was not good, and that he could ask her the same question 20 times.

While paramilitary terrorism and sectarian strife raged on in Northern Ireland in what was known as the ‘Troubles’, the former SDLP leader denounced violence and kept the hope for peace alive, eventually making it a reality.

The man from Derry, is a former priest, teacher, turned politician who bravely communicated with Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams in his quest for peace at a time when even broadcasting the voice of Mr Adams was banned.

The 1988 Broadcasting Ban made it illegal to air the sound of any Sinn Féiner’s voice, “to starve the terrorist and the hijacker of the oxygen of publicity,” as former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher said, prompting the BBC to get actors to read Gerry Adams’ words.

Paying tribute to Mr Hume after his death, Gerry Adams said: “John was very down to earth and easy to talk to. Our conversations were never combative. He listened attentively to my opinions while ably arguing his own views when we disagreed.”

Key players in the 1998 peace deal included David Trimble, former US President Bill Clinton and former British and Irish premiers Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern. David Trimble and John Hume were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1998.

As Mr Hume's body returned to Derry on 5 August, for his funeral at St Eugene's Cathedral, COVID-19 restrictions on gatherings meant there were limited numbers at the mass.

First Minister Arlene Foster, Irish prime minister Micheál Martin and Irish President Michael D Higgins were among the mourners at the funeral.

Prime Ministers and presidents, in particular Tony Blair, Bill Clinton, former UK Prime Minister John Major, former US Senator George Mitchell as well as former Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams have sung Mr Hume’s praises.

Bill Clinton calls him Northern Ireland’s Martin Luther King

In a message read out at the funeral, former US President Bill Clinton said Mr Hume had "fought his long war for peace" in Northern Ireland and described him as Ireland's Martin Luther King.

A message from the Dalai Lama, who met Mr Hume when he visited Northern Ireland, was also read out in church along with a message from the Pope.

The Dalai Lama said Mr Hume had always shown "steady persistence" for all to follow.

"Although my fellow Nobel laureate is no longer with us, his message about peace and nonviolence in the resolution of conflict, no matter how protracted or difficult it may seem to be, will long survive him," said the Tibetan spiritual leader.

Father Farren told mourners at the funeral, Mr Hume’s “vision revealed what could be and with time and determination and single-mindedness and stubbornness he convinced others that peace could be a reality."

"He never lost faith in his ability to convince others that peace was the only way. If ever you want to see a man who gave his life for his country, and his health, that man is John Hume."