Ahern leads tributes paid to former tánaiste John Wilson

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern has led the tributes to former Tánaiste John Wilson who has died aged 84.

“John Wilson was a sportsman, a scholar and a politician who served Cavan and Ireland through decades of endeavour in many fields,” said Mr Ahern.

Born in Cavan on July 8, 1923, Mr Wilson, a classics scholar, was educated at the University of London and the National University of Ireland. He worked as a secondary school teacher.

Mr Wilson was first elected to the Dáil in 1973 as a Fianna Fáil TD for Cavan and was returned at each subsequent election.

The fluent Irish speaker served as Education Minister from 1977 to 1981 and held a range of portfolios during his political career, including defence, transport, communications and the marine. He was appointed Tánaiste in 1990, a position he held until January 1993 when he retired from politics.

He also won two All-Ireland senior championship football medals for Cavan.

Mr Ahern paid special tribute to the work Mr Wilson did in relation to the North: “His contribution was an important contribution to the peace process.”

Mr Wilson worked on the Victim’s Commission from 1998 and on the Commission for the Location of Victim’s Remains in 1999.

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said: “One of my clear memories of John were his verbal jousts when Education Minister — often in Latin or Greek — on the floor of the Dáil with his opposition spokesman on education Richard Bourke.”

Mr Wilson is survived by his wife Ita and five children, John, Claire, Siobhan, Lucy and Maria.