David Ervine.
A man who lived what he believed, who learnt from what he believed, and who gave himself to teaching others what he had learned.
He will be greatly missed by those searching for a way ahead in a country which spends too much time looking back.
5 comments:
I am sad that David died. He was a unique politician in our country. He spoke from a position of understanding what it is like on the ground and from a place of true reperation and apology for his past. He also had good old common sense.
You are so right about him being missed Mark. It's hard to imagine anyone else in the unionist political sphere that has a background to enable them to speak with such authority to those in loyalist paramilitary organisations. And to speak out against violence and aggression with full knowledge of what he came from and thereafter wholeheartedly rejecting it as wrong.
His charisma and good humour added a lighter presence to the stodgy personality types of so many people in stormont. I think it's hard to say enough of the importance of not taking everything "too seriously" and being uptight in what you demand politically here.
He caught hold of a vision for NI, which was salty light in a dark place at times.
Mark et all,
I would have to agree with you all.
He will be missed.
Like Minx said he had a vision for NI - i can only pray that others pick up his vision & continue the work he started.
May we all learn from him & look to the future.
Well said Housters.
I work in my wee cosy studio on the Lower Newtownards high above the gritty heartland of Davids turf and have walked past his offices many time wishing I could find the guts to drop- in and shoot the breeze about art/politics/life.
Needless to say I never did and I'll always imagine what it would have been like.
I did have a weird dream about this scenario one time in which I discussed the creative angles of a film project about the road while David questioned its connection and responsibility to the area it was about. Not quite sure what happened after that.
Cliches aside He was a man that met the people who needed him and humbly and took their voice to the leaders that wished they didn't exist.
He's the only politician that when he was on t.v he never once would incite any anger. he spoke always with dignity, humility and that East Belfast moustache is stuff of legend!
Ben
Thanks Ben. Good to see you debut on Graceland.
Obviously this David Ervine has left a deep and lasting impact on many.
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