Foe Those Who Remember Him, Ian Paisley, Ex-Democratic Union Leader, Has Died.

[ladybirder]

...

[ichkeria]

He was an extraordinary character. Not the dull sort that people claim they despise in politics.
He was a great showman above all, from his fiery speeches, to leading the "Third Force" on a hillside on Buckna, to his wedding (or at least civic ceremony) with Martin McGuinness in his later years.
The letters R.I.P. were surely made for him and never more appropriate

[Ken4155]

April 14th 1973, i was 18 years old and just 2 days into my first tour of duty in Northern Ireland and was on my first ever VCP (Vehicle Check Point). And, in the very first car i stopped sat a certain Rev Ian Paisley. Despite his protestations - "Don't you know who i am?, I have a very important meeting to attend", etc - i carried out a search of the vehicle, thanked him for his co-operation, apologised for any inconvenience and bade him a safe journey. In return, he congratulated me on sticking to my guns, so to speak, and wished me well for the future. It certainly got my tour of duty of to a confident start.

[Jeza]

What I remember about him most is the speech where he said 'There will be no pope in this province'

[maggiebee]

Whatever the rights and wrongs, RIP.

[ChillDoubt]

I wholeheartedly concur with the posts of ichkeria and Ken.
Love or loathe him the man was a political colossus.
Doubtless he mellowed toward the end of his political life and his changed attitude secured what is now relative peace in the Province.
On the BBC page it's obvious from the quotes that even his former political opponents grew a respect for the man.

RIP

[ChillDoubt]

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-29177705

Only sour note are the weasel words of Galloway.

[dustypuss]

http://www.cartoons.ac.uk/record-image/standard/14845

[Bazile]

By all accounts he was a nice/pleasant bloke in private - away from the image he cultivated in public . Well that's what Peter Hain said on the radio earlier .

[ichkeria]

The thing about Paisley was that although he undoubtedly was a divisive figure (a seriously divisive one) a lot of the time, he seemed, on a personal level, to belie a lot of the vitriolic image.
For example, back in the seventies when a Catholic youth in his constituency was accidentally shot dead by the army, he visited the family to offer his condolences and support.
He'd never have been a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize perhaps, but he sort of became part of N Ireland's political furniture. In fact he probably WAS the furniture for a while
My best memory of him (apart from once having him sit opposite me on a plane) was actually in a wonderful sketch in an animated political satire show, during the McGuinness-Paisley "chuckle brothers" days, when he was portrayed as having been kidnapped and locked in a filing cabinet by Sinn Fein, while they remotely controlled the new "softer" version!

[ladybirder]

I've just heard what Peter Hain said and he certainly came to hold him in high regard as he got to know him over a two year period. Nicer in private than in public. There's plenty of people the other way round - (I know a few)!

[Ric.ror]

I always think of this when I think of him

Ps ladybirder - I guess the typo in the title was accidently but for some of us ....... Media URL: http://youtu.be/SmDP-PYpPRY
Description:

[ladybirder]

Here you go ric.ror. Yes it was an error, snigger:-)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmDP-PYpPRY&feature=youtu.be

[mikey4444]

A rabid, ignorant and self-serving religious and political Leader, who did his fair share of rabble rousing in NI, as did the worst of them. But I must concede that he mellowed in his old age, and for that I suppose we must be grateful. What a pity that mellowing didn't occur 30 years ago. What a difference it would have made !

I am not sure where he is right now, but wherever he is, I hope that they issued earplugs.

[mikey4444]

Just found this on the BBC News website...what a frightful man he was in the old days ::::

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-29179048

[ichkeria]

He apparently had a major change of outlook 10 years ago of the sort he himself might have referred to as 'Damascene'
After a brush with near-death he decided to devoted himself to trying to make bridges with those he once said it would take years to 'wash their hands of their crimes '
I thought it was interesting that some of the harshest comments about him yesterday came from moderate politicians of the time and of course it was middle class unionists who hated as much as any.
I thought it rather unfair to blame him for the failure of Sunningdale for example . He was certainly at the forefront of those who brought it down but it would never have worked at that time. There were plenty of others on both sides who would have seen to that

[ladybirder]

He certainly divided opinion that's for sure.

Giving you BA for your last thoughtful post Ichkeria.

[ichkeria]

Cheers lb :-)

In one of his last interviews he actually remarked in words to the effect that he never thought of himself as infallible, like the Pope(!). I am not sure he really meant it to come out quite like that but that's what I call a conversion!

[ladybirder]

LOL:-)