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FORMER West Tyrone Assembly member, Joe Byrne, was today described at his funeral Mass as someone who fought the good fight during some of the most difficult years of division within the North.
Among those in attendance at St Mary’s Church in Killyclogher were the SDLP’s current leader at Stormont, Matthew O’Toole, and former leader, Mark Durkan, as well as current West Tyrone MLA, Daniel McCrossan.
In his homily, the Parish Priest of Cappagh, Fr Kevin McElhennon, said that Mr Byrne entered public life during years when not all of the fights being fought were good fights.
But he added that Joe Byrne had chosen a different path from that of problems being reduced to sharp words and fixed positions to hardened sides.
“Joe Byrne entered politics because he believed that it mattered because he believed that it should be done with integrity. He served during some of the most formative and difficult years in our recent history.
“He played a significant but vital and important part in the slow but demanding work that led to peace. Work that required patience and openness rather than digging in, listening rather than shouting and perseverance rather than triumphalism.”
Mourners at the funeral heard how Mr Byrne’s involvement in sport as a member of Strabane Sigersons GAA and a coach with Queen’s University Belfast was another expression of him fighting the good fight.
“What mattered more to him was how sport was played. It was about how the formation of discipline, teamwork, fairness and respect were learned. He demanded standards without humiliating.”
