Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Is le croí trom atá mé ag éirí anseo tráthnóna le cúpla focal a rá in ómós do Martin McGuinness, fear a chur mé aithne air le roinnt blianta anuas agus fear a raibh ard-mheas agam air ón aithne a chur mé air. Ba mhaith liom mo chomhbhrón féin a chur in iúl do Bhernie, Fiachra, Emmet, Fionnuala agus Grainne. Ní bheidh aon duine in ann an folús pearsanta sin atá fágtha i ndiaidh Martin McGuinness a líonadh, táim cinnte. Ní bheidh aon duine in ann an folús poiblí a líonadh ach an oiread.It is very hard to find words that would do justice to the personality that was Martin McGuinness. The best thing I can do is share some personal insights and stories from times I spent with him. When he was running in the presidential election of 2011, I received a telephone call from management to say I was needed on the campaign bus. When I asked what was going on, they said Martin had to go on TG4 and speak in Irish for one minute and that he needed somebody to help him. They were two of the best days I ever spent. They were absolutely fantastic. For a man who had been through so many challenges in life and involved in so many difficult and sticky situations, the thing that terrified him most was having to speak for one minute in Irish on TG4. He told me he had never had the opportunity to learn Irish in school, which he had always regretted. He worked really hard to get the few words right.

Many would credit Martin McGuinness with possibly swinging the presidential election campaign in the way of Michael D. Higgins in the famous moment with Seán Gallagher on the TV programme which is now a piece of history. Perhaps President Michael D. Higgins has a lot to be thankful for also. It was very important that Martin had stood in that election. As somebody from outside the Twenty-six Counties who could not vote, he raised the issue of voting rights for people living in the North. He also brought to the fore in the debate legacy issues.

On the bus Martin also told me some very funny stories, as can happen when people are on a bus together for a couple of hours and fall into conversation. He told me about what had happened when the Assembly was initially being set up and how difficult it was to talk to people, as they would walk out of the room as soon he walked in. On one occasion there was a particular Unionist politician who was standing at a urinal in the men's bathroom and could not walk out. Martin struck up a conversation with him and as soon as the Unionist politician had finished his business, he dutifully left. It is amazing how the initial reticence to even communicate was overcome by the magnanimity of Martin's personality.

Martin also had a wonderful story to tell about a visit by a number of political groups to South Africa. It took place under the auspices of the African National Congress to discuss the ongoing peace process. They were being brought somewhere way out in the sticks. We think Connemara is remote, but this place was really at the back of the beyonds. It was insisted on that there be two buses, one for the Unionists and other for the Nationalists, but one of them broke down. I cannot remember which, but they all had to share the same bus for the rest of the journey. Apparently, there was reticence to sit next to each other on the bus. Martin saw in it great humour; he saw it as part of the building of relationships between people.

While Martin McGuinness was a Northern politician, he was revered and loved across the country, as we saw in Galway during the presidential election campaign. A huge crowd came to listen to him in Salthill. I have received so many messages from people in the west in the past few hours who are genuinely sorry to see him go. We are speaking for them also.

Another seminal moment was when I was invited to a private meeting with Gerry Adams, Martin McGuinness and Prince Charles at NUIG. I had to pinch myself because I could not believe I was watching history happen. It was incredible how people who had been foes for so many years were able to shake hands and in talks about the future. There was a genuine sense of openness and, actually, a sense of fun. Once the formalities were over, there was a little banter. Obviously, it was Martin who started it by talking about Gerry Adams's affinity with nature, his love of hugging trees and the like. The conversation moved to fly fishing, in which both Prince Charles and Martin had a great interest. It was a measure of the man that he had moved so far forward in that relationship. It was something to savour, learn from and look up to.

We were attending one of our pre-session think-ins in County Louth, I think, when news came through that Ian Paisley Snr. had passed away. Martin was genuinely saddened. He had built a real friendship with him and was truly sorrowful.

For the past five years there has been a standing call from us in this Chamber that the First Minister and the deputy First Minister from the Northern Ireland Assembly be invited to attend. I understand there are diplomatic factors that influence whether such things can come to fruition. Nonetheless, I am saddened that we never got the opportunity to have the First Minister and Martin, in his role as deputy First Minister, in the Seanad Chamber to share some of their experiences. Martin stood on the core principles and values of republicanism, equality and so on. It is very telling that even in his last days he was still calling for full implementation of the international agreements, particularly in areas such as Acht na Gaeilge, which is ironic as he was not a fluent gaeilgeoir.

Mention has been made about what happened in the past in Derry when Martin was a young man. As somebody who had a relatively trouble-free existence, having been brought up in England before moving to Connemara, I often wonder what I would have done if I had been raised on the Bogside in the 1960s, 1970s or 1980s. Would I have done anything differently from him and likes of him? As Senator Victor Boyhan said, they did see brutality. It is very easy for us to judge but hard to say what we might have done. It is to Martin's credit that he always called for a truth and reconciliation process. It is one of the things which he said was absolutely needed in order that those hurt by the conflict on all sides could be heard and that the process of healing could commence. He also called for open recognition of LGBT and women's rights in the North.

Táimid anseo anocht le céiliúradh a dhéanamh ar fathach fir. Fear a sheas an fód gan fuacht ná faitíos, a raibh an-mheas againn air agus a bhí mar chara agus comrádaí a bhí abálta i gcónaí treoir agus comhairle a chur ar fáil dúinn.

The one thing I always remember about being in Martin's company is that I always came out with a smile on my face. He always left people with a smile no matter how serious the issues involved. It was a pleasure to have known him. Guímid leaba dó i measc na n-aingeal anocht.