'He gave us the platform, the pathway': the life of John Hume is applauded by the town he loved so well

The funeral of John Hume at St Eugene’s Cathedral in Derry. Mourners heard that the peacemaker saved the lives of others through his vision and work. Pictures: Stephen Latimer

Nobel Laureate and “Ireland’s greatest” John Hume made peace visible for others even in the darkest moments.

Mourners at his funeral heard that the former SDLP leader and peacemaker saved the lives of others through his vision and work.

During his funeral at St Eugene’s Cathedral in Derry, Mr Hume was described as a man who made his family “laugh, dream and think”.

Fr Paul Farren said that Mr Hume gave his life for his country.

“He focused on unity and peace, and giving that dignity to every person,” he said.

“We should never underestimate how difficult it was for John to cross the road and do what was intensely unpopular for the greater good.

“Even in the darkest moments, when people would have been forgiven for having no hope, John made peace visible for others.

“His vision revealed what could be, and with time and determination and single-mindedness and stubbornness, he convinced others that peace could be a reality.”

In his homily, Fr Farren said that Mr Hume never lost faith in peace, nor 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. The world knows it,” he added.

His widow, Pat is comforted by family.

Fr Farren said that John and his wife Pat have secured their place in the history of Ireland, “John being Ireland’s greatest”.

Mr Hume’s son John Hume Jr told those gathered in the Cathedral that his father was a Derry man to his core.

John Hume Jr added: “If dad were here today, in the fullness of his health, witnessing the current tensions in the world, he wouldn’t waste the opportunity to say a few words.

“He’d talk about our common humanity, the need to respect diversity and difference, to protect and deepen democracy, to value education, and to place non-violence at the absolute centre.

“He might also stress the right to a living wage and a roof over your head, to decent healthcare and education.

“Marrying Pat, our mother, was without a doubt dad’s greatest achievement and she enabled him to reach his full potential.

“Along with mum, he taught us all our values and gave us all our moral compass. And for that we will be forever in their debt.”

Messages were also read from former US president Bill Clinton, British prime minister Boris Johnson, and U2 singer Bono.

Among the dignitaries were President Michael D Higgins, Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Northern Ireland’s First Minister Arlene Foster and Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill.

Others included former SDLP leader Mark Durkan and current leader Colum Eastwood.

Mr Durkan and Mr Hume’s eldest daughter Therese led the readings while singer Anne Marie Hickey was joined by organist Aidan Watkins and Frank Gallagher, who played the violin.

Prayers of the faithful were read by Mr Hume’s grandchildren Dee, Aoibhe, Rachel and Una.

A poem written by Aidan Hume, Mr Hume’s son, was read by Mo Hume.

Aidan, who is based in Boston, was not able to attend the funeral because of Covid-19 travel restrictions.

Mo became tearful as she read her sibling’s tribute to her father.

People clap as they watch the funeral cortege pass by.

“You made us realise a border is just a line on a map. It’s in our hearts and minds where we need to bridge the gap,” she said.

“Thorough over 30 years of violence, hurt and unrelenting stress, those underlying conditions you never stopped trying to address.

“I don’t think I ever said aloud how you made us all so incredibly proud. All you ever wanted was to make the world a better place.”

Derry musician Phil Coulter played Mr Hume’s favourite song ‘The Town I Loved So Well’ on the piano at the end of the service.

Speaking before the funeral, Mr Eastwood said they were grateful to have had Mr Hume.

“There is work to be done and John was always forward-thinking. He gave us the platform, he gave us the pathway, he gave us the opportunity to do this free from violence,” he said.

“We have to keep going to build the shared island that we want.”

Ms Foster described it as a “sad day”.

“I was reflecting that this has been a very difficult year for the SDLP with the loss of John Dallat and Seamus Mallon. We are here to support colleagues and indeed the family.”

Ms O’Neill said that Mr Hume’s death marks the start of the end of an era.

“The era of Martin McGuinness, John Hume, Ian Paisley — all different political perspectives,” she added.

“But as we lose big giants like that, there is a huge onus on us, as the post-Good Friday Agreement generation of political leaders, to be able to carry out the good work they started.”

People lined the streets outside the Cathedral and applauded as the funeral procession made its way along the route to the city cemetery where a private burial took place.

Aine Hume, a daughter of the former SDLP leader, thanks mourners for their applause.

Mrs Hume and her family acknowledged the crowds through the open car windows.

The Derry politician, feted around the world as a peacemaker, died on Monday at the age of 83 after a long battle with dementia.

In ordinary circumstances, Mr Hume’s funeral would have been expected to draw huge crowds, but numbers were limited due to coronavirus restrictions.

Mr Hume was a key architect of the Good Friday Agreement and was awarded the Nobel peace prize for the pivotal role he played in ending the North’s sectarian conflict.

The former MP, Stormont Assembly member and MEP, led the party he helped found for 22 years.

He was a prominent figure in the civil rights campaigns of the late 1960s and also played a leading role in the formation of the credit union movement.

Throughout his political career, he remained steadfast in his commitment to non-violence.

His participation in secret talks with then Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams in the late 1980s and early 1990s was a key catalyst for the nascent peace process.

The SDLP leader faced intense criticism, including some from within his own party, when his dialogue with Mr Adams became public in 1993.

Despite threats to his life, he persisted with his efforts to engage with the republican movement and to convince the IRA to end its campaign of violence.

The highlight of Mr Hume’s career came in 1998 with the signing of the historic Good Friday accord which largely ended Northern Ireland’s 30-year sectarian conflict.

Along with Ulster Unionist Party leader David Trimble Mr Hume was awarded the Nobel peace prize for his contribution to stopping the bloodshed.

In 2010, Mr Hume was named “Ireland’s Greatest” in a poll by RTÉ.

His death came just six months after that of fellow Good Friday architect and long-time SDLP deputy leader Seamus Mallon.

A number of vehicles were hijacked in Derry on Tuesday afternoon, with SDLP leader Mr Eastwood accusing those responsible of violating the grief of the city.

No doubt of what John Hume meant to the town he loved so well 

As the final bars of The Town I Loved So Well drifted out of the cathedral door the first crackle of applause sounded.

Stuttering at first, the instigators perhaps hesitant whether it was an appropriate response to such a moment, it quickly swept among all those congregated outside the church grounds to say goodbye to John Hume.

Two of his grandchildren spun round to see where the spontaneous act of appreciation had emanated.

They were greeted by a gallery of faces, some sheltering beneath umbrellas, perched high behind wrought iron railings on a road behind St Eugene’s Cathedral.

One man called out “Thank you John”.

Minutes earlier, the same onlookers were listening on a tiny portable radio balanced precariously on a car roof as Phil Coulter ended the funeral service on the piano with Mr Hume’s favourite song about his favourite place – Derry.

Outside, as the clapping spread to the limited number of mourners who had been able to attend the mass, Pat Hume held her focus on her husband’s wicker coffin as it was gently loaded into the hearse.

Behind her the assembled dignitaries applauded the man whose efforts to stop the bloodshed of the Troubles earned him the Nobel peace prize.

President Michael D Higgins, walking into St. Eugene's Cathedral.

In a sign of the strange times in which Derry bade farewell to one of its most famous sons, all wore face masks.

The applause finally subsided. But only momentarily.

As the hearse emerged from the cathedral gates, taking Mr Hume on his final journey to the City Cemetery, it rang out again.

This time accompanied by the words of Abide With Me, sung by church choristers standing at spaced out intervals close to the entrance.

As the cortege turned right up Creggan Street, a uniformed veteran of the Irish Defence Forces, standing like a sentry, raised a salute.

All around him people clapped.

Pat Hume, travelling in the black funeral car behind the hearse, lowered her window to acknowledge those on the roadside who had braved the rain to say their own personal thank you.

Earlier, she had sat at the end of the first pew of the cathedral as her son John Jnr insisted it was the family that owed the north west a thank you – for looking after Mr Hume as dementia gradually took hold.

“The kindness shown to him by the people of Derry and Donegal, who stopped to talk to him in the street every day, guided him to protect his independence, and received him with gentleness if he was agitated, was a profound gift to all of us,” he said.

“We are eternally grateful to all those that helped over the years.” Outside the bond Mr Hume had forged with those people, from the height of his political powers through to the fading of his light, was all too clear.

Along that last slow drive to the cemetery, there were not the thousands that would have been expected if the funeral had happened in normal circumstances.

But there were enough to leave the family in no doubt what the former SDLP leader meant to the town he loved so well.

‘He lived a truly meaningful life’ 

John Hume's family have been inundated with tributes to the world-renowned peacemaker from across the world and at yesterday's funeral just a few were read out to the small congregation decimated in number by coronavirus restrictions.

Bishop of Derry Donal McKeown read a message from the Vatican.

It said: "His Holiness Pope Francis was saddened to learn of the death of Mr John Hume and sends the assurance of his prayers to his family and to all who mourn his loss.

"Mindful of the Christian faith that inspired John Hume's untiring efforts to promote dialogue, reconciliation and peace among the people of Northern Ireland, His Holiness commends his noble soul to the loving mercy of Almighty God."

There was also a message from Mr Hume's fellow Nobel Laureate, the Dalai Lama.

The Bishop of Derry, Most Reverend Donal McKeown, addressing the congregation.

"Indeed, his deep conviction in the power of dialogue and negotiations in resolving the problem in his homeland has been an example of non-violent resolution of issues.

"It was his leadership and his faith in the power of negotiations that enabled the 1998 Good Friday Agreement to be reached. His steady persistence set an example for all of us to follow.

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

"He lived a truly meaningful life."

A message from U2 singer Bono said: "We were looking for a giant and found a man whose life made all our lives bigger.

"We were looking for some superpowers and found clarity of thought, kindness and persistence.

"We were looking for revolution and found it in parish halls with tea and biscuits and late-night meetings under fluorescence.

"We were looking for a negotiator who understood that no-one wins unless everyone wins and that peace is the only victory.

"We were looking for joy and heard it in the song of a man who loved his town so well and his missus even more.

"We were looking for a great leader and found a great servant.

"We found John Hume."