THE Funeral has taken place in Belfast of Fr. Alec Reid, who played a major role in brokering the peace process in Northern Ireland.
Fr. Reid, was a member of the Redemptorist Order, passed away in Dublin on November 22. The 82-year-old, who was from Nenagh in County Tipperary, had spent 40 years based at Clonard Monastery in the Falls area of Belfast.
He initially acted as a go-between to arrange talks involving the Republican movement and politicians, which formed the first steps to bringing about an end to the I.R.A.’s activities.
The Funeral Mass was held in Clonard Church in Belfast. Burial followed in Milltown Cemetery. To view the death notice for Fr. Reid, click here.
Among the hundreds of mourners were representatives from all the main political parties and churches. They were joined by former Irish President Mary McAleese.
The Archbishop of Armagh, Cardinal Sean Brady, was among the clergy attending.
Following the service Fr. Reid’s coffin was carried from the church by his four nephews.
An Ecumenical Service of Gratitude for the Priest’s life and ministry was held at the Church on Tuesday (November 26).
When the peace process eventually resulted in the I.R.A. decommissioning its weapons in 2005, Fr. Reid was entrusted to be one of the independent witnesses to the process.
In recent years Fr. Reid had turned his peacemaking efforts to the Basque region of Spain.
To view an excerpt from the R.T.E. programme, The Secret Peacemaker, click here.
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