Architect of peace Fr. Alec Reid dies at 82

Belfast priest Fr. Alec Reid – described as one of the architects of the peace process – has died in a Dublin hospital.
He acted as an intermediary between the IRA and politicians north and south of the border.
Martin McGuinness of Sinn Fein has paid tribute, calling him an extraordinary and humble priest who made an immense contribution to Peace.
Fianna Fail TD, Dermot Ahern, who was involved in the early stages of the peace process, says Fr. Reid played a huge part in keeping both sides at the talks table.
“He was pivotal in all of those discussions, setting them up and encouraging them – and wile those talks stopped in the Republic formally because the Hume-Adams talks in the North stopped pretty quickly thereafter” he said.
“Fr. Alec Reid was heavily involved in trying to cajole people to meet and talk” he added.