McGuinness nomination for Tipp Peace Prize is well deserved

Sinn Féin MEP Liadh Ní Riada has congratulated Martin McGuinness on his nomination for the 2016 Peace Award from the Tipperary Peace Convention.

“Martin McGuinness has proven himself to be a determined and fearless campaigner for peace, justice and freedom,” she said.

“Even when under death threat from dissidents and loyalists he continued to publicly and proudly defend the peace process and work to embed it.

“He formed lasting friendships with former enemies and in a historic gesture of friendship and reconciliation to the unionist community he met with the English Queen.

“He continued to try and make the Assembly work with an increasingly intransigent DUP and said himself that stepping down as Joint First Minister, while the right thing to do, broke his heart.

“He has never shied away from his past and has never been anything other than proud of his role in fighting for the people of Derry and Ireland. Nor, however, has he ever sought to glorify that conflict or his role in it and indeed it was his experience of war that has made him such a courageous and tenacious supporter and defender of the Peace Process.

“When asked in a TV3 documentary if death threats ever put him off his work he said he would die happily for peace.

“The Tipperary Peace Prize shortlist is an impressive group of outstanding people and organisations. They have all done extraordinary things to make this world a better place. Martin McGuinness can stand proudly alongside all of them.”