Doug Beattie: David trimble’s legacy will be the peace that he has given to us

Those are the words of UUP leader Doug Beattie on Lord Trimble, a man he often turned to for political advice.

Mr Beattie said the former Ulster Unionist leader maintained his passion for politics and for healing divisions in Northern Ireland right up until his death.

During a visit to Stormont, Mr Beattie laid a bouquet of flowers below a portrait of Lord Trimble in the Great Hall at Parliament Buildings before standing for a moment of reflection.

Speaking to the media, he said that the inaugural first minister had come from a “different political era” than himself: “Like so many politicians he came from an era which was dominated by trouble, murder and violence, and it shaped the man.

“What it shaped was a man who knew that he could take decisions and was never afraid to make changes.

“He went through a journey which led in 1998 to the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement which has fundamentally changed Northern Ireland.

“We now have a peace, it is an imperfect peace, but it is a peace we can work on for our children and for the future.”

Mr Beattie added: “In the conversations that I had with him, even as frail as he’d become in the last number of months, there was a fire in his eyes for politics, there was a fire in his eyes for peace in Northern Ireland and there was a fire in his eyes to try and heal the divisions which blighted this part of the United Kingdom.”

The UUP leader, a military veteran, was serving abroad when Lord Trimble and SDLP leader John Hume helped to negotiate the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.

He said: “When I became a councillor and then an MLA in his old constituency he was very gracious with his time. He used to talk to me and tell me what I could do, should do.

“When I became the party leader he spoke to me about the loneliness of leadership in the political arena and that when you choose your path never be afraid to change your mind, never be afraid to change course. But if you have a belief then you must stick to that belief.

“I think that his graciousness with his time, his advice, is something that will stick with me.”

He added: “The last time I was with David was during the election. He came out canvassing with me, it was a wonderful day. He was frail and he should only have knocked a couple of doors but he knocked a good 50 doors and spoke to everybody who came to the door.

“He was surrounded by young unionists. I looked at David in his 70s and frail and who had given so much of himself for peace and I realised that his legacy is far greater than people will ever realise.

“The peace that he has given to us, that uneasy peace, that is what he will be remembered for.

“He was fragile, he was awkward in company, but when he set his mind to something he really did stick to it.

“Even today, nearly 25 years on, I will continue to fight for that Belfast Agreement in all its parts.”

Lord Trimble’s funeral will take place on Monday at 12.30pm at Harmony Hill Presbyterian Church in Lisburn.

He will be buried in the Blaris extension of Lisburn New Cemetery.

His family have asked for no flowers, instead donations can be made to Macmillan Cancer Support, c/o Ronnie Thompson Funeral Directors, 20 Ballinderry Road, Lisburn, BT28 1UF.

Speaker of the NI Assembly, Sinn Fein’s Alex Maskey, announced that the day after the funeral, MLAs will gather in the Assembly chamber at 12pm for tributes to be paid.

In addition, the recall of the Assembly which was originally scheduled to take place yesterday will now take place on Wednesday, August 3.

Former Ulster Unionist MP David Burnside said: “David put unionism on the front foot against the international propaganda of Irish republicanism. He promoted the positive benefits of the Union in Great Britain, Europe and the United States.

“David took risks to get a peace settlement and for all its imperfections it has worked.

“Without his leadership and courage the Troubles in their worst form would not have been brought to an end.”

Fine Gael TD and chairperson of the Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement, Fergus O’Dowd, said: “He contributed an enormous amount towards securing peace in Northern Ireland, whilst accepting that the path taken would present seismic challenges for him personally and politically.”

UUP c ouncillor Hazel Legge, party whip on Lisburn and Castlereagh Council and a colleague of Lord Trimble’s son Nicholas, said: “Many of us had the privilege of working with and for David Trimble. His intellect and his passion for Northern Ireland and all who call it home were evident in the courageous actions he took on behalf of everyone, with great political and personal cost.

“He had a unique ability to see the bigger picture for everyone.”