Wishing my right wing friend Jim Wells a happy retirement

He is a man of principle; principles fewer and fewer people in the north of Ireland identify with. He is a man who argues hard and well for his cause, but he is also a man willing to listen; willing to reach out and help those who disagree with him.

In 2014, when the Newry and Mourne District Council’s Famine Commemoration Committee was experiencing difficulty in trying to take the 2015 Commemoration to Newry, Jim Wells, who had initially opposed the proposal, wrote to Carál Ní Chuilín, the Sinn Fein Minister for Culture Arts and Leisure in support of the National Famine Commemoration crossing the border. More recently in an Irish Heritage Trust podcast Jim suggested that the National Famine Commemoration might return ‘bigger and better’.

https://www.strokestownpark.ie/inclusive-famine-commemoration/

Jim Wells is a consistent supporter of the Thomas D’Arcy McGee Summer School in Carlingford. He has spoken at the summer school, attended social events and especially enjoyed Finbar Fury singing in the Carlingford Arms. At the summer school Jim has attended the ‘Trial of P. H. Pearse before the Court of History’ and the ‘Trial of James Craig before the Court of History.’ He has travelled to Pearse’s birthplace to participate as a member of the ‘jury’. He travels at his own expense.

When a developer threated to put an access road through Warren Hill in Newry, Jim Wells supported the residents, knowing there were few or no votes in it for him. When an older resident then invited Jim in for a cup of tea, he spent two hours in the house. When the older resident died Jim wrote a letter to his daughter recalling the wonderful conversation he had with her father.

Jim Wells organises trips to the islands off the Irish and Scottish coasts. The teetotal Jim has facilitated whiskey tasters visiting Islay. Those on board, from many political persuasions, are treated with humour and kindness.

Jim Wells, the fervent Protestant, has visited Skellig Michael off the Kerry coast. He has never seen Star Wars. He made the journey, not as a bird watcher, but because he admired the idea of the medieval monks subsisting, in cliff top bee-hive huts.

I would not vote for Jim Wells but I wish my deep, right wing, unionist friend a happy retirement.

l Anthony Russell is a former chairperson of the 2015 Newry and Mourne District Council’s Famine Commemoration Committee