Martin was '˜relentless' in pursuit of peace

PACEMAKER BELFAST 23/03/2017
The Funeral of former Sinn Fein leader and deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness in the Bogside in Derry this afternoon.
Mr McGuinness dies earlier this week after a short illness.
At his funeral today
Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press — PACEMAKER BELFAST 23/03/2017 The Funeral of former Sinn Fein leader and deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness in the Bogside in Derry this afternoon. Mr McGuinness dies earlier this week after a short illness. At his funeral today Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press

Among those who attended the Mass were US President Bill Clinton, Irish President Michael D.Higgins and former President Mary McAleese, Taoiseach Enda Kenny and former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, DUP leader Arlene Foster and former leader Peter Robinson, SDLP leader Colum Eastwood, Nobel Peace Laureate leader John Hume, UUP leader Mike Nesbitt, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland James Brokenshire and senior representatives from different Christian denominations.

Bishop of Derry Dr. Donal McKeown said their presence bore testimony to the work Martin McGuinness and others had put in to help achieve the Good Friday Agreement 20 years ago and to build upon it since.

Meanwhile, in his Homily, Father Michael Canny said anyone looking for Martin McGuinness’ legacy only had to look around them at those gathered “to say farewell to a man who was such a proud member of this community; the person who came to be a widely respected leader of this community.”

The funeral of former Sinn Fein leader and deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness in Derry

Fr Canny said: “The presence of those political rivals and opponents among you, who have come to pay your respects this afternoon, is the most eloquent testimony to the memory of Martin McGuinness.”

During the ceremony Reverend David Latimer from First Derry Presbyterian Church spoke movingly of the friendship he had developed with the former deputy First Minister over the past decade.