Ivan Barr's beloved wife Judy was joined by four of her children on Tuesday night to collect the special book of messages honouring the memory of her husband of 48 years.

A former chairman of the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association, Ivan was not only a respected republican who had been involved in politics for over 40 years but he was a stalwart member of Strabane District Council.

"I really didn't realise just how much people thought of Ivan, it's nice to see the signatures and comments.

" I have just flicked through the book, it's still too upsetting for me yet to read through it, I still wake up at night and think he's just at the toilet.

"It's hard to take knowing he isn't coming back after more than 48 years of being together," Judy said.

"I was thinking this morning that I would like to get a glass case for the book so it doesn't get tattered. It's a nice thing for our grandchildren to look at so I want to keep it safe and preserve it for years to come," she said.

Meanwhile, Strabane councillors voted on Tuesday night to set up a working group to discuss "possible ideas" for a permanent memorial to be installed in the Strabane area to formally acknowledge Ivan's commitment to the Strabane community over the past 40 years.