Almost immediately after it was announced that Colm O’Rourke was the preferred choice of Meath’s power brokers to assume the role of county senior football manager, thoughts turned to next year’s National Football League.
Specifically, what ‘Colm O’Rourke’s Meath’ will look like, in personnel and style of football. Which in itself builds excited anticipation for matches to come. However, as the evening wore on, those thoughts turned in particular to matches against Ulster counties.
For you see, for a lot of Colm’s playing career, attending matches up north was a non runner due to The Troubles for yours truly. To be exact, due to the hassle and risk associated with crossing the border.
Like many other facets of life though, thanks to the monumental occurrance that was the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in April 1998 removed the sense of foreboding which surrounded going to games in the six counties.
Thus, it was a lot more than coincidence that it was at the earliest opportunity after the talks in Stormont that Meath’s NFL clash with Down at Newcastle was attended. As it happened, it was a great day to be there as it ended up being the first of a few meetings with President Mary McAleese.
All of the above came back to mind late on Monday evening when news broke of the death of the former leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, David Trimble, former MP and MLA.
Being somebody with an above average interest in politics and current affairs during my schooling years, Mr Trimble was one of the faces of my youth. Along with other politicians such as the late David Ervine and Ian Paisley, Martin McGuinness – God rest him also – Ken Magennis and John Alderdyce as intense efforts went into ending nearly 40 years of conflict.
If one had licence to perhaps single out a couple of those involved, it would have to be David Trimble and John Hume. Firstly owing to the fact that John had been engaged in campaigning in Derry even before The Troubles kicked off in earnest in 1969.
It is beyond question, though, that David Trimble took as big if not bigger risks than any of the others involved in the decades long push for peace. At this juncture, it will be openly admitted that when I was a youngster, he represented everything that was wrong in Northern Ireland.
Not just him, but the likes of of Paisley and John Taylor and Sammy Wilson. However, as another late, great politician once said, on mature recollection, it is of course the case that, if Mr Trimble and others didn’t move towards compromise, the world would not be as it is today.
Whether that was the former Unionist leader – an ardent member of the Orange Order and defender of its culture – working with John Hume or the unlikely but wonderful working relationship between Martin McGuinnes and Big Ian Paisley. So good was it that the two men became known as The Chuckle Brothers.
Each and every one of those involved in the peace process, nationalist, unionist, north and south put themselves out on a limb in every way that phrase is applicable. Gut instinct is to think, though, that David Trimble went that bit further than most.
Lasting peace on the island of Ireland will be his greatest and lasting legacy. May he rest in peace.
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