Leading figures across the political divide pay tribute to Lord Trimble

One of the principal architects of the Belfast Agreement ending decades of conflict in Northern Ireland, Lord Trimble died on Monday at the age of 77.

Mr Beattie described the former first minister as “a man of courage and vision”.

He said: “He chose to grasp the opportunity for peace when it presented itself and sought to end the decades of violence that blighted his beloved Northern Ireland.

“He will forever be associated with the leadership he demonstrated in the negotiations that led up to the 1998 Belfast Agreement.

“The bravery and courage he demonstrated whilst battling his recent illness was typical of the qualities he showed in his political career, at Stormont and at Westminster.

“He will be remembered as a first minister, as a peer of the realm and as a Nobel Prize winner. He will also be remembered as a great unionist.”

On behalf of the Ulster Unionist Party, he extended his deepest sympathies to Lady Trimble and their children, Richard, Victoria, Sarah and Nicholas.

Sinn Fein’s Michelle O’Neill tweeted: “It is with genuine regret that I have learned of the passing of Former First Minister, David Trimble.

“I wish to offer my sincere condolences to his wife Daphne, their four children and the wider family circle who will feel his loss deeply.

“His very significant contribution to the peace process and his courage in helping achieve the Good Friday Agreement leaves a legacy a quarter century on for which he and his family should be rightly proud.”

Former Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams expressed his “deep regret” at Lord Trimble’s passing and extended his “sincere condolences” to his widow Daphne, their children, and his former UUP colleagues.

In a statement Mr Adams said: “David faced huge challenges when he led the Ulster Unionist Party in the Good Friday Agreement negotiations and persuaded his party to sign on for it. It is to his credit that he supported that Agreement. I thank him for that.

“In the years immediately following the Agreement I met David many times. Our conversations were not always easy but we made progress. We used to meet quite often on our own and I got to know him quite well. While we held fundamentally different political opinions on the way forward nonetheless I believe he was committed to making the peace process work.

“David’s contribution to the Good Friday Agreement and to the quarter century of relative peace that followed cannot be underestimated.”

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson described Lord Trimble as a “committed and passionate advocate for the Union”, at a time when doing so posed a considerable threat to his safety.

Sir Jeffrey, who quit the UUP and defected to the DUP while Lord Trimble was leader, said: “Whilst our political paths parted within the Ulster Unionist Party, there can be no doubting his bravery and determination in leadership at that time. He was a committed and passionate unionist who always wanted the best for Northern Ireland.

“Right until recent days David continued to use his political skill and intellect, most recently in support of the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union and in opposition to the Northern Ireland Protocol.

“As a Nobel laureate, his words carried significant weight and he helped raise awareness of the threat the protocol posed to Northern Ireland, particularly amongst the wider UK audience. He leaves a huge and lasting legacy to Northern Ireland. He can undoubtedly be said to have shaped history in our country.”

Taoiseach Micheal Martin said Lord Trimble played a key role as leader of the UUP, and had a long and distinguished career in unionist politics.

“All of us in politics at the time witnessed his crucial and courageous role in the negotiations leading to the Good Friday Agreement and his leadership in building support in his party and his community for the agreement,” Mr Martin said.

“Fittingly, his contribution was recognised internationally and most notably by the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to himself and John Hume ‘for their joint efforts to find a peaceful solution to the conflict in Northern Ireland’.”

The Fianna Fail leader said that as the first first minister Lord Trimble began the “arduous work” of bedding down the executive and delivering for the people of Northern Ireland.

Mr Martin added: “In his speech accepting the Nobel Prize, Trimble spoke about the ‘politicians of the possible’, a phrase which I think sums up the David Trimble we all knew, and it speaks to his achievements over many decades, often in challenging circumstances.

“The work of reconciliation begun in the Good Friday Agreement continues, and as new generations pick up the mantle of this work, it is fitting that we pay tribute to Lord Trimble for his central contribution in setting us on the path to peace and reconciliation.”

Former Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis described Lord Trimble’s death as “incredibly sad”.

Mr Lewis, who resigned as secretary of state earlier this month, tweeted: “A brilliant statesman and dedicated public servant, his legacy as an architect of the Good Friday Agreement will live on forever.

“The people of the UK owe him an immense debt of gratitude for all he achieved for our Union.”

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said Lord Trimble had left an “indelible mark on our shared island’s story” and that without him there would not have been a Good Friday Agreement.

The Foyle MP said: “Over the course of his political career but particularly in difficult years of the Good Friday Agreement negotiations he demonstrated immense courage and took political risks that sustained the life of our fledgling peace process.

“He doesn’t often enough get credit for it but without David Trimble’s fortitude, there would simply have been no agreement.

“The image of David and Seamus Mallon walking through Poyntzpass together in 1998 to comfort the families of Damien Trainor and Philip Allen is an enduring icon of the peace process that inspired a whole generation of people who wanted, and needed, to believe that our shared future could be different from our divided past.

“It is my enduring memory of his commitment to reconciliation.

“My thoughts and prayers are with Daphne, Richard, Victoria, Nicholas and Sarah at this difficult time. I hope they are comforted by the immense legacy that David left to the people of Northern Ireland.”

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer tweeted: “Very sad news. David Trimble was a towering figure of Northern Ireland and British politics as one of the key authors of the Good Friday Agreement, the first First Minister and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. My thoughts are with Lady Trimble and their family.”

TUV leader Jim Allister said he was “greatly saddened” to learn of his death and expressed his sincere condolences to his family.

He said: “Though politically we fundamentally disagreed over the Belfast Agreement, latterly as joint applicants in the judicial review challenge to the protocol we shared a common determination to rid Northern Ireland of this iniquitous assault on our constitutional position.

“David had a very clear and correct view of the dangers and unacceptability of the protocol.”

He added that he had known David and Daphne Trimble since his university days when David was one of his lecturers and Daphne a fellow student in his law year.

“As a couple throughout their married life Daphne gave exemplary support to David and in his declining health was a tower of strength to him. So, in losing David, Daphne has suffered a great loss and Northern Ireland has lost a foremost thinker within unionism,” he said.

Ireland’s further education minister Simon Harris extended his “deepest sympathy” to Lord Trimble’s family.

In a post on Twitter Mr Harris said: “Sending deepest sympathy to the family & friends of David Trimble.

“Sad to hear of his passing tonight. This beautiful tribute a few weeks ago from @QUBelfast is worth a look at in his memory.

“He played a very important role in building peace on our island. May he rest in peace.”