Brendan Bradley, who died recently at the age of 49, did outstanding work with victims of violence across the divided community of north Belfast. He founded Survivors of Trauma, a north Belfast-based group of victims of the Troubles which has provided a high level of service to victims from its highly skilled staff.
Bradley was also involved in the extremely delicate process of setting up meetings where victims of political violence could meet those involved in attacks.
He faced repeated tragedy in his own family which he used to contribute to the healing process. Five members of his family died in the Troubles:
A UVF bomb killed his younger brother Francie in 1975; an IRA gunman firing on an army patrol killed his sister Isobel Leyland in 1992; the UDA killed his nephew Martin Bradley in 1994; the INLA killed his nephew Francis Shannon in 1996, and the INLA badly beat his nephew Barney Cairns in a punishment attack two years ago: as a result, Cairns committed suicide.
Bradley lived all his 48 years in Ardoyne. He was educated at St Gabriel's secondary school and left at 16 to work in a mill. Two years later, he moved to the building trade.
From an early stage he was also working in the community. To further his work for victims, he studied in the University of Minnesota.
Survivors of Trauma began in 1995 when he brought together a number of victims in a school to talk through their experiences and grow personally. The following year, St Silas's Church of Ireland on the Cliftonville Road came on the market. He organised funding and the former church became a vibrant centre for those who had been hurt by political violence.
Dee Fennell, whose husband was murdered, says Survivors of Trauma was very important for victims like herself.
"At the start you were ignored," she says. "If you had a loved one murdered, all you got was prescribed medication. Survivors of Trauma gave people a voice, it gave them acknowledgment. This organisation was about somebody coming in and helping you - it was about you coming in and helping others."
Bradley was also involved in mediation initiatives. Anne Bill was spokeswoman for Glenbryn residents during the protest at Holy Cross School and met him during attempts at mediation.
"I believe he was genuinely tried to understand the loyalist community, but it wasn't within his powers to do anything about it," Bill said. "He said 'I honestly believe you have issues, you have grievances.'
"He was somebody who was willing to sit down and listen. I felt he was one of the most genuine people we met, because he was actually listening to what we were saying."
He was an invaluable contact for journalists covering north Belfast, because he told it like it was.
Bradley was also a highly talented musician on the mandolin.
He is survived by his widow, Rosaleen, children Róisín, Brendan, Lisa, Eilish and Shauna: by five grandchildren and by five brothers and two sisters. He was predeceased by three brothers and a sister.
Brendan Bradley: born December 9th, 1956, died January 31st, 2005.