Within a small housing estate in Donagh on Tuesday night republicans gathered for a candlelit vigil to remember former deputy first minister Martin McGuinness who died on Tuesday.
It was a cold, sombre night as candles illuminated the faces of those standing at the spot of a memorial for another aspect of the republican story: hunger strikers; Bobby Sands, Francis Hughes, Raymond McCreesh, Patsy O’Hara, Joe McDonnell, Martin Hurson, Kevin Lynch, Kieran Doherty, Thomas McElwee, Micky Devine, Michael Gaughan and Frank Stagg.
This time, however, Sinn Fein members such as Michelle Gildernew, Jemma Dolan and Sean Lynch paid tribute to Mr. McGuinness, a former IRA commander turned politician.
Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly, who addressed a Sinn Fein meeting before the vigil, said Mr. McGuinness was “amongst other things, a fisherman, a leader, a poet, a freedom fighter, a peacemaker, a negotiator and an ordinary person.”
“That is how he would like to be remembered. He was an absolute workhorse. We have lost a great leader who led from the front. We will pay tribute to him by continuing that legacy,” he said.
Sinn Fein TD Martin Kenny, who attended the vigil, said Mr. McGuinness’ death was “a huge loss.”
“There are very few people who have the humanity to reach out to people the way that he did. When he reached out to the Queen of England, some of us found it very difficult. He reached out because he knew that that was the way that we have to move forward. He knew that we had to find forgiveness. Whilst we may never forget, we could forgive,” he said.
Meanwhile, a second candlelit vigil was held in Enniskillen for Mr. McGuinness, last night. Organised by Sinn Fein, the vigil, attended by Councillors Debbie Coyle and Tommy Maguire, took place at a memorial to Bobby Sands at Cornagrade.
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