Picture of the Week
The late David Ervine's wife Jeannette embraces Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams after the of her husband today in east Belfast. The other person in the picture is David's older brother Brian, who spoke movingly at the service of David's efforts to "translate the bloodstained tragic prose of violence and hatred [into] the poetry of peaceful co-existence".
I don't think I have ever attended a more inclusive funeral service in Northern Ireland. Secretary of State Peter Hain spoke of David as a "bruiser for peace". Party leaders from Unionism, Nationalism and Republicanism sat together in pews and stood to sing hymns in a service that seemed to unite every section of the community in grief and celebration. And all of this in a church in the heart of loyalist east Belfast. Many remarked on how David died much too young: he was just 53 years old. The truth is, some people could live to a hundred years and not have a legacy as impressive as today's unique gathering.
Comments
A saint is a person's bio that has been edited and revised, isnt that what you said recently Will?
I dont doubt David did a lot of good for the country and everyone should offer their condolences to his family for the loss of a husband and father.
But Mr Ervine had not shed his equivocation on murder as recently as six months ago, according to the Alliance Party, who are no enemies of inclusivity;
PB
Not sure who this guy PB is, but he's no clue about just how much Ervine did to end violence in NI.
During the Whiterock parade of 2005 when all the trouble exploded in Loyalist area’s all over Belfast, the Whitewell Metropolitan Church held a rally at the Odyssey which was packed to the limits over 9’000 at a church service despite many churches cancelling their service that night, despite all the trouble a bus bringing members of the congregation that Sunday night to the service was hijacked and personal belongings were taken from the people on board the bus, but the local media blow it out of all proportion to suit their anti protestant/loyalist agenda, as soon as Mr Ervine had knowledge of it he worked behind the scenes in his own humble way to have all the property returned to the rightful owners and he didn’t want any fuse and this story went unreported in the media because it didn’t suit the purpose of the media to have some positive news during all the strife at this particular time they only wanted to dish out the dirt on the prods. This one of many positive stories that Mr Ervine was involved in resolving without the glare of the public spotlight, He will be sadly missed by his fellow Restorative Justice Practitioners. The general public of this generation will never know the full extent of Mr. Ervine’s involvement in resolving social and political issues within the Northern Ireland context.
Restorative Justice is a non-violent and non-coercive response to socially harmful activity.
Victor
The clue to your question is in post 1 where I said: "I dont doubt that David did alot of good for this country."
I dont.
I am just broadening the discussion.
Have you read the first hyperlink and what did you think about the alliance party statement about David's high profile and repeated denigration of a UVF muder victim, only six months ago?
I dont doubt he did alot of good, and the best of us all have serious flaws, but as I said, just adding to the conversation.
PB
You're a muck-raker PB.
Victor
It is probably fair for someone to draw attention to these facts on behalf of the victims of the UVF, in particular Raymond McCord who today sees Ervine feted whil only six months ago he was publicy spitting on the grave of his son.
Dont blame, those are the facts.
I have no axe to grind against Ervine, only he knows what pressures he was under in trying to do the righ thing,
but if you are going to try and demonise me for drawing attention to the UVF victims he was still spitting on, well forget it.
That is not a rational or fair argument in a democratic society.
PB
Whew, thanks PB, for a moment there I was scared there was a risk that peace might break out. You've set me straight. One hug in a photograph does not a settlement make.
Mark, yes very funny ;-)
but seriously, if you have the only genuinely cross community party in the country, which is pretty liberal, condemning actions from such as Ervine, (whom they know up close and personal) you have got to ask yourself why?
Believe me, the Alliance Party is not given to such outbursts...
This story above may well get a sharp update later this week...
Remember too, the paramilitary group that Ervine was a member of has not decommissioned a single bullet although it is on ceasefire; that is definitely progress but still a fair assessment.
PB
a few of the other tears left behind by David Ervine's UVF;-