The man who exposed Provos and Haughey

THE death of Dr Conor Cruise O’Brien robs us of one of the best and brightest we have had in the past century in Irish politics.

His towering intellect and power of logic brought home to many people the evil and sectarian nature of the Provisional IRA and their posturing as true republicans.

This was done at a time when it was unpopular to articulate such views and at this remove, with the acceptance of power-sharing in Stormont, the principle of consent and the removal of articles two and three from the constitution, it brings into sharp relief Dr O’Brien’s truly great contribution to Irish society.