• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Irish America

Irish America

        • Who We Are
          • About Us
          • Irish America Team
        • The Lists
          • Business 100
          • Hall of Fame
          • Health and Life Sciences 50
          • Wall Street 50
        • Highlights
          • History
          • In This Issue
          • Music
          • Politics
          • Sports
          • Travel
        • Columns
          • First Word
          • Hibernia
          • Quote Unquote
          • Slainte
          • Those we Lost
          • What are you like?
          • Wild Irish Women
          • Window on The Past
  • Home
  • Who We Are
    • About This Magazine
    • Irish America Team
  • In This Issue
  • Hall of Fame
  • The Lists
    • Business 100
    • Hall of Fame
    • Health and Life Sciences 50
    • Wall Street 50
  • Archives
    • Magazine
    • Highlights
  • Travel
  • Events

John Hume Retires

By Irish America Staff
April / May 2004

April 1, 2004 by Leave a Comment

Hume (center), who won the Nobel Peace Prize, has retired from politics for health reasons.

John Hume, often known as the “architect of the peace process” who vowed to spill sweat not blood, has retired from political life. His announcement came weeks after his opponent, the Democratic Unionist leader Rev. Ian Paisley, said that he was retiring. At 67 years old, Hume has suffered ongoing health problems since 1999.

Hume, a founding member of the SDLP (Social Democratic and Labor Party) served as a member of the European Parliament for 25 years. He entered politics on the civil rights platform in the 1960s and became the deputy leader of the SDLP in 1973. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, alongside David Trimble, in 1998 for their part in the Good Friday Agreement. Hume worked as a moderate nationalist reaching out to include Sinn Féin in the political process of the recent era. Paradoxically it was the success of this process which enhanced the profile of Sinn Féin as a serious political force and increased its electoral appeal at the expense of his own party, the SDLP.

“True republicanism is real agreement between Protestant and Catholic, and real mutual respect, not victory by one side over the other,” said Hume, upon his retirement. Succeeding him, Mark Durkan has taken over as SDLP leader. ♦

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Highlights

News
Articles and stories from Irish America.....
MORE

Hibernia
News from Ireland and happenings in Irish America.....
MORE

Those We Lost
Remembering some of the great Irish Americans who have passed.....
MORE

Slainte!
Discover Irish ancestry, predilections, and recipes.....
MORE

Photo Album
Irish America readers share the stories of their ancestors....
MORE

More Articles

  • <b>Hibernia: Honors</b>Hibernia: Honors
    Irish LGBT Rights Campaigner Honored In NYC A street in Queens, New York, has been named after B...
  • <b>Hibernia: News</b>Hibernia: News
    Dublin Second In Europe For Improving Air Quality Dublin has been named the second most improved...
  • <b>Hibernia: Sports</b>Hibernia: Sports
    Leona Maguire Is First Irish Golfer To Win The LPGA Leona Maguire has made history as the&nb...
  • <b>Hibernia: News From Ireland</b>Hibernia: News From Ireland
    Kerry Town Named Among Europe's Most Beautiful The scenic village of Kenmare, nestled on the...

Footer

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Subscribe

  • Subscribe
  • Give a Gift
  • Newsletter
  • Customer Service

Additional

  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Terms of Use & Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2022 · IrishAmerica Child Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in