Teachers Union defers strike in respect for Martin McGuinness

Various political figures and journalists accused McGuinness of retaining a leading role in the IRA throughout the civil war that erupted in Northern Ireland through the 1970s, 80s and 90s.

Mr McGuinness shocked people on both sides of the border as he emerged on television in January as a frail and weakened figure stricken by illness which suddenly had bad effects.

Of course, it doesn’t help that Ireland’s conflict ended in stalemate, whereas Mandela was able to take power when his old foe, apartheid South Africa, essentially collapsed.

A quarter of a century earlier, the IRA sent army chef Patsy Gillespie to his death at Coshquin, holding his family hostage while he was forced to drive the auto bomb which killed him and five soldiers.

Rev. Latimer described Mr. McGuinness as a “very good friend” and said his passing was for him and many others a “very sad day”. Ian Paisley Jnr, who as a junior minister worked alongside his father and McGuinness, said he had gone from viewing McGuinness as the “godfather of the IRA” to considering him a personal friend.

“He said: ‘Oh, thank you for that'”. “Not only did Martin come to believe that peace must prevail, he committed himself to working tirelessly to that end”.

Martin McGuinness, a former Irish Republican Army (IRA) commander, succumbed to the effects of a genetic disorder.

However, condemning dissident murders while condoning IRA murders appeared hypocritical to some at Stormont, including the DUP’s Nelson McCausland. Viewers were treated to the astonishing spectacle of Paisley, the hardline unionist leader who once led his own paramilitary-style group, and McGuinness, the former IRA leader, sharing government leadership.

And through this work it engaged directly with people connected to organisations such as the IRA including Martin McGuinness. “A lot of people had gathered there waiting for the cortège to pass by before it reached Martin McGuinness’s home”. But with the positive re-evaluation of the critical and pivotal role of the heroic Michael Collins, I don’t think Martin would be offended by the comparison.

Mr McCausland served twice as a minister in the Northern Ireland Executive while Mr McGuinness was deputy first minister. Once he chose to make the change to pursuing democracy – and I believe he did so some years before New Labour came on the scene – I think he genuinely made the change.

The Saville Inquiry examined the killings of 14 civilians by British soldiers in Derry in 1972.

By early 1988 McGuinness and his fellow killers knew that the IRA was on the verge of defeat.

What is important, however, is to understand why a hardened terrorist and brutal murderer should have chose to negotiate a ceasefire leading to a “peace deal”. It has even been claimed that he became a British agent, although those pushing the allegation have largely been former IRA members opposed to the settlement in Northern Ireland.

He added: “I must say as a Christian, as a person who reflects on life, it’s not how you start your life that is important, it’s how you finish your life”.

“He had a tremendous amount of patience when things were going badly”, he said. For the families of those who have lost loved ones in terrorist attacks, the trauma can be long lasting, and the when the events appear in the news again, the question is always asked about forgiveness.

But a well placed source who knows both the Queen and McGuinness told Christian Today that they had a real connection over their shared faith.