Counihan’s tribute to an old friend

Mr Counihan sparked controversy in 2008 when he sought council approval to confer the freedom of the city on both Mr Reynolds and former British prime minister, John Major, to honour their combined roles in building the foundations for peace in the North.

Councillors usually agree unanimously to the nominees but this joint proposal split the council.

Following weeks of controversy and behind-the-scenes talks, a two thirds majority vote approving the conferral was finally secured.

Mr Counihan said he had no regrets about his decision.

Both men took significant personal and political risks for a “greater good, a just and lasting peace”. he said.

The 1993 Downing Street Declaration led to the establishment of a lasting peace, he said.

Three Union Jacks flew above City Hall on June 20, 2008, the day of the ceremony, and about 20 people protested outside.

Inside, quoting a previous freeman of Cork, former US president John F Kennedy, Mr Reynolds said: “Peace is a daily, a weekly, a monthly process, gradually changing opinions, slowly eroding old barriers, quietly building new structures. And that process is why Sir John and I stand proudly before you here today. We both took enormous political risks to successfully address for the first time the competing demands that had dogged nationalist-unionist, north-south and British-Irish relations for centuries.”

Mr Counihan said the former taoiseach was always very accessible.

“Albert’s political style was very direct and he had a tremendous capacity at gatherings of Fianna Fáil Árd Fheiseanna to stay up very late at night, chatting politics and greeting delegates while drinking orange, while other persons were bleary-eyed at that late hour,” he said.

“But his interest in the delegates’ interests at such a late hour amazed those listening to him.”