Letters: Baroness May Blood - A genuine peacemaker

For almost a quarter of a century I attended quarterly meetings chaired by May Blood and never failed to come away inspired and full of hope for Northern Ireland’s future.

May left school at 14 to work in a linen mill but she chaired meetings with the skill and wisdom of a FTSE 100 company boss. May had seasoned business leaders enthralled by her reporting capability and her financial acumen. Almost always speaking from memory May would weave in anecdotes, add a dash of humour and appeal to the emotions.

The forum was the Council of the Integrated Education Fund to which May dedicated the greater part of her later life.

It was a natural and practical extension to her initial role in the 1990s Belfast women’s peace movement. Throughout the years May’s hair would get whiter but her vitality and passion never dimmed.

Her evangelist spirit was invested in the idea that the togetherness of children from all faiths and none, learning side by side in integrated schools would bestow lasting peace. The executive management of the IEF and the council members, supporters, parents and children were not just devoted to the cause. We also felt devoted to May and were proud to serve under her leadership.

May was an honest, direct Belfast woman, respectful to all but unimpressed by rank, title or power. She rubbed shoulders with presidents and prime ministers, easily chatted to royalty and mixed readily with her colleagues in the House of Lords, treating everyone equally.

She spoke her mind but did not judge others, instead looking for good in all those she dealt with.

May was adept at using humour to bring out the reality and contradiction of life in her home city. A tourist said to her: ‘You people in Belfast all seem very friendly.’ To which May responded: ‘Aye, we love everybody, we just hate each other…’

May’s legacy is that she wound down that hatred over decades and built a growing community, particularly young people, who discovered a shared culture in the classroom.

May took on a leadership role in the peace movement and committed herself to public service from then on as a parliamentarian and with the IEF.

Had May been born in 1968 instead of 1938, she might have become the sort of leader that a Stormont government desperately needs.

With the thought that May’s spirit will continue to guide Northern Ireland, we should give thanks for the life of Baroness Blood, a true Belfast woman, a genuine peacemaker.

David Montgomery,

Executive chairman of National World, owner of the News Letter and other newspapers