Hume – the missing hero of McGuinness by James Bradshaw
T
he recent RTÉ documentary, McGuinness, was a triumph for all involved in making it. Wri�en by Harry McGee of The Irish Times, it was a gripping account of the life of one of the most important poli�cal figures in modern Irish history. While Gerry Adams has been the undisputed leader of the Republican movement since the 80s, his junior colleague Mar�n McGuinness was always more compelling. Unlike Adams, McGuinness was not born into the IRA, and the oversized role which Derry played in the early days of the civil rights movement coupled with the appalling slaughter on Bloody Sunday adds to the sympathy which ordinary people felt towards him. 14
Overall, the focus of the documentary was admirably balanced. A wide array of leading figures in the Peace Process were featured. Some of the interviewees clearly revered him while others like the DUP’s Gregory Campbell were deeply hos�le. Vic�ms of IRA violence were understandably cri�cal about the omission of key details, such as the role which McGuinness allegedly played in luring the Republican informer Frank Hegarty to his death in 1986. The late Bishop of Derry Edward Daly believed McGuinness played a direct role in Hegarty’s murder by encouraging him to return to Derry, and told an Irish government official as much some months a�er the killing. The bigger flaw within the
