A flood of tributes is deservedly being paid to Mr John Hume on his sudden, if understandable, decision to retire as leader of the SDLP. He is set to depart from the frontline of Northern Ireland politics - which he has fashioned to his own political philosophy - in November. He will continue as MP for Foyle, representing his beloved city of Derry in Westminster and as a member of the European Parliament.
After 32 years at the coalface of politics in Northern Ireland, starting with the civil rights marches in 1968 and culminating with the Nobel Peace Prize in 1998 for his work on the peace process, it is no exaggeration to state that his contribution to constitutional nationalism, international understanding and the primacy of all the people in the ballot box has been outstanding. After all of the ups-and-downs in his illustrious career, it is difficult to remember now that he had the foresight 30 years ago to take out a credit union loan to pay the air fare to visit Senator Ted Kennedy to engage him in the Northern problem.
John Hume has been the fixed, polar inspiration through the 30-year search for peace in Northern Ireland. He has worked alongside seven Taoisigh, many Prime Ministers and many more Secretaries of State. He has set the Anglo-Irish agenda on many occasions - be it on the New Ireland Forum, the framework for the Anglo-Irish Agreement, the Downing Street Declaration which preceded the negotiations with Mr Gerry Adams on the peace process and, ultimately, the Belfast Agreement. He never compromised his deep commitment to constitutional politics even in periods of despair when hope lay on barren ground.
It is the enduring hallmark of John Hume that he has spoken with a singular conviction throughout his career. The vision in Humespeak has been obscured by repetition over the years but holds more true in the world today than it did in yesterdays. The new Ireland will be built on respect for the diversity of our people. We must spill our sweat not our blood. We must come to the table armed only with our convictions. Now is the time to live not die for Ireland.
Friends and opponents spoke generously of John Hume yesterday. The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, paid tribute to "the philosopher, architect, and ultimately symbol of peace". Acknowledging that they had approached the problem of Northern Ireland from different perspectives, the leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, Mr David Trimble, said that he had never doubted the sincerity of his ceaseless efforts to find an agreed resolution. "At all times, John's voice has been heard because it was never tainted by any covert regard for violence".
John Hume is a giant among political leaders of his generation. Given the current international atmosphere, he appealed directly to Sinn FΘin yesterday: "please do all that you have to do now and all that you actually can do to ensure that all weapons are put completely beyond use . . ." Of John Hume, and so few others today, it can be said that he is a statesman of the late 20th century. It must equally be acknowledged that he could not have made such an historic contribution without the tireless support of his wife, Pat.