Reynolds was the main architect of the preace we all enjoy today

The generous tributes paid from all sides of the political spectrum yesterday on the death of Albert Reynolds were well-deserved by the former Taoiseach and government member.

Happily the increasingly shrill political partisanship which blights the public discourse here now was set aside for a short while at least.

Reynolds served the country well, as an energetic and pragmatic minister. As Taoiseach he was a leading driver, if not the leading driver, of the peace process, including the 1994 IRA ceasefire, culminating in the arrangements which have given us 20 years of peace.