Alec Reid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Alec Reid |
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| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Church | Clonard Monastery |
| Known for | Role in Northern Ireland peace process |
| Alma mater | University College Galway |
| Personal | |
| Born | Alexander Reid 5 August 1931 Dublin, Ireland |
| Died | (aged 82) Dublin, Ireland |
| Resting place | Milltown Cemetery, Belfast |
| Religious career | |
| Ordination | 1957 |
Alexander Reid CSsR (5 August 1931 – 22 November 2013) was an Irish Catholic priest. He is known for his very important role in helping to bring about the Northern Ireland peace process. A journalist from the BBC said his work was "absolutely critical" to its success.
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Biography of Father Alec Reid
Father Alec Reid was born in Dublin on August 5, 1931. After his father passed away, he moved to Nenagh, County Tipperary when he was six years old. He later studied English, history, and philosophy at University College Galway.
In 1950, he became a Redemptorist. This is a religious order of Catholic priests and brothers. Seven years later, he became a priest. For the next four years, he worked on Parish Missions in different towns. These missions involve priests visiting communities to preach and help people.
After this, he moved to Clonard Monastery in Belfast. He stayed there for almost 40 years. Clonard Monastery is in a special location. It sits between the Catholic nationalist Falls Road area and the Protestant loyalist Shankill Road area of west Belfast. This location was important for his peace work.
Father Reid passed away in a Dublin hospital on November 22, 2013. He was 82 years old. He was buried in Milltown Cemetery in Belfast.
Father Reid's Peace Work
Father Reid played a huge part in bringing peace to Northern Ireland. This period was known as the Troubles. In 1975, he worked with another priest, Des Wilson. They tried to stop a dangerous fight between two groups, the Official IRA and the Provisional IRA (PIRA).
They brought leaders from both groups together. These meetings happened at Father Wilson's home. Eventually, the groups agreed to a ceasefire, which means they stopped fighting. The two priests led regular meetings to check on the agreement.
Father Reid and Father Wilson continued to reach out to different groups. They spoke with Protestant groups and helped set up meetings between nationalist and loyalist leaders.
Working for Peace Behind the Scenes
In the late 1980s, Father Reid helped arrange secret meetings. These were between Gerry Adams, a leader of Sinn Féin, and John Hume, a leader of the SDLP. The goal was to create a united front among nationalist groups. This would help them move away from violence and towards talking things out.
Father Reid was a strong supporter of a united Ireland. He also wanted British forces to leave Northern Ireland. He became the main contact person for these peace talks with the Irish Government in Dublin. He started meeting with Irish leaders in 1987. He continued this role until the Good Friday Agreement was signed in 1998.
His work was not public at the time. He met with different Taoisigh (Irish Prime Ministers). He also met often with Martin Mansergh, an important advisor to Irish leaders. After the peace talks were successful, Gerry Adams said that without Father Reid's hard work and refusal to give up, there might not have been a peace process.
A Famous Photograph
In 1988, a very sad event happened in Belfast. Two British soldiers were killed by the PIRA. This event is known as the corporals killings. It happened after they drove into a funeral procession for an IRA member. Father Reid was there and gave the soldiers their last rites. This is a religious ceremony for someone who is dying.
A photograph of Father Reid at this scene became very famous. It showed his involvement in a very difficult moment during the Troubles. For many years, people did not know that Father Reid was carrying a secret letter. This letter was from Gerry Adams to John Hume. It suggested ideas for a political solution to the conflict.
Later, Gerry Adams shared more details about Father Reid's secret work. He said Father Reid also advised the U.S. Ambassador to Ireland, Jean Kennedy Smith. He would talk to her, and she would then talk to her brother, Ted Kennedy, a powerful US Senator.
Later Peace Efforts
After moving to Dublin, Father Reid continued his peace work. He helped with peace efforts in the Basque Country in Spain. In 2003, he received an award for his work in promoting peace.
In September 2005, Father Reid and a Methodist minister, Reverend Harold Good, made a big announcement. They told the world that the IRA had given up their weapons. This was a huge step towards lasting peace.
In November 2005, Father Reid was involved in a disagreement. During a meeting, he made some strong comments about how the Unionist community had treated the nationalist community in Northern Ireland. He later said he was sorry for his remarks. He explained they were made in the heat of the moment. He also told CNN that the IRA's actions were "a violent response to the suppression of human rights".
Awards and Recognition
Father Reid received many awards for his dedication to peace:
- In 1995, he won the Tipperary International Peace Award. He shared this award with Dr. Martin Mansergh and Reverend Roy Magee. This award is known as "Ireland's outstanding award for humanitarian work."
- In 2005, he received an honorary doctorate from NUI Galway. This is a special degree given to people who have achieved great things.
- In 2008, he received the Gandhi Foundation International Peace Award with Reverend Harold Good. This award recognizes people who work for peace without violence.
- Also in 2008, he was made an Honorary Graduate of the University of Ulster. He received a Doctor of the University (DUniv) degree. This was to honor his important work in the Northern Ireland peace process.
- In 2009, he was given the Reflections of Hope Award. This award came from the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum.
