’I miss him terribly’: Gerry Adams on Martin McGuinness
Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams has revealed how he is only beginning to come to terms with the loss of his friend, Martin McGuinness.
In an interview with the Belfast based Irish News Mr Adams referred to the late Mr McGuinness as a “constant in my life” and someone he missed desperately.
The Louth TD went on to tell Irish News political correspondent John Manley that while they had often differed they had “never fell out”.
“I make the point generally speaking that we didn’t agree on everything, we would perhaps have different tactical positions on different issues but we always came to a resolution and we always worked on the basis of ‘let’s try this and if it doesn’t work we go back and look at it again and try it another way’.”
“He was a man of very advanced social conscience and part of his sense of social justice was that we have to protect and actively promote the rights of those who are that are socially disadvantaged either by disability, social background, age or infirmity,” he says.
“At the end of it we always ended up with a united front on every issue that we came to.”
The Sinn Féin leader went on to describe Martin McGuinness as the "common denominator" in three Stormont administrations.
"I think he really did have an affection for the pioneering role he was involved in, though I do think he was let down by our unionist partners. That’s reflected in his letter of resignation."
"If those who do have a fondness for Martin, and I’m quite sure some of his unionist partners do have a fondness for him, then the best memorial would be to see the institutions in place on the terms that they would be sustainable, enduring and work for every single citizen," the Sinn Fein President concluded.
