Martin McGuinness facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Martin McGuinness
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McGuinness in January 2017
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| Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 8 May 2007 – 9 January 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Mark Durkan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Michelle O'Neill (2020) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minister of Education | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 2 December 1999 – 14 October 2002 |
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| First Minister | David Trimble (FM) Seamus Mallon (dFM) Mark Durkan (dFM) |
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| Preceded by | Office established | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Caitríona Ruane | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born |
James Martin Pacelli McGuinness
23 May 1950 Derry, Northern Ireland |
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| Died | 21 March 2017 (aged 66) Derry, Northern Ireland |
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| Nationality | Irish | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse |
Bernadette Canning
(m. 1974) |
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| Children | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Military service | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Allegiance |  Official IRA Provisional IRA |
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| Battles/wars | The Troubles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| John O'Dowd served as Acting dFM from 20 September 2011 to 31 October 2011 while McGuinness campaigned in the 2011 Irish presidential election. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
James Martin Pacelli McGuinness (born 23 May 1950 – died 21 March 2017) was an Irish republican politician. He was a key leader in the Sinn Féin party. He also played a role in the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) during a difficult time known as The Troubles.
McGuinness served as the deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland. He held this important position from May 2007 to January 2017. He was also a Member of Parliament (MP) for Mid Ulster from 1997 until 2013. Like other Sinn Féin MPs, he chose not to take his seat in the Westminster Parliament.
Working with other politicians, McGuinness helped create the Good Friday Agreement. This agreement was very important for peace in Northern Ireland. It also set up the Northern Ireland Assembly, which is like a local parliament.
In 1998, McGuinness became a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Mid Ulster. He was the Minister of Education from 1999 to 2002. After another agreement, he became deputy First Minister in 2007. He worked alongside Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leaders like Ian Paisley and Arlene Foster. In 2011, he ran for President of Ireland.
McGuinness resigned as deputy First Minister in January 2017 due to a political disagreement. He also announced he would not run for re-election because of poor health. He passed away on 21 March 2017, at the age of 66.
Contents
Martin McGuinness: Early Life and Political Journey
Martin McGuinness was born in Derry, Northern Ireland. He grew up there and attended local schools. He left school when he was 15 years old.
He became involved in politics and the republican movement from a young age. He later stated that he was a member of the Provisional IRA in the past, but left in 1974.
During the Saville Inquiry, which looked into the events of Bloody Sunday in Derry, it was noted that McGuinness was involved in paramilitary activities at that time. However, the inquiry found no evidence that he did anything to cause British soldiers to open fire.
In 1972, McGuinness was part of talks with the British government. He was later imprisoned for a short time in the Republic of Ireland. After his release, he became more active in Sinn Féin, the political party.
Becoming a Key Negotiator and Minister
Martin McGuinness became a main negotiator for Sinn Féin in the Northern Ireland peace process. These talks led to the very important Good Friday Agreement. This agreement helped bring an end to much of the conflict in Northern Ireland.
After the agreement, he was elected as an MLA for Mid Ulster. His party then chose him for a government role. He became the Minister of Education. One of his first actions was to stop the "11-plus exam." This was a test that children took to decide which secondary school they would go to. McGuinness himself had failed this exam when he was a child.
Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland
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After the St Andrews Agreement in 2006, the main political parties in Northern Ireland agreed to share power. On 8 May 2007, Ian Paisley became First Minister and Martin McGuinness became deputy First Minister. This was a big step for peace and cooperation.
McGuinness and Paisley worked closely together. They even visited US President George W. Bush at the White House. McGuinness said that before this, he and Paisley had never even talked about the weather. Their partnership showed how much things had changed.
He continued to serve as deputy First Minister with Peter Robinson and later Arlene Foster.
Presidential Campaign and Resignation
In 2011, Martin McGuinness was chosen as the Sinn Féin candidate for the 2011 Irish presidential election. He finished third in the election. After the election, he returned to his role as deputy First Minister.
In 2012, McGuinness resigned as a MP for Mid-Ulster. This was part of his party's plan to stop politicians from holding two major jobs at once.
In November 2016, a political issue called the Renewable Heat Incentive scandal came to light. It involved a government energy scheme. McGuinness and his party called for the First Minister, Arlene Foster, to step aside. They wanted an independent investigation into the scheme.
When Foster refused, McGuinness resigned as deputy First Minister on 9 January 2017. He stated that he was protesting the "DUP's arrogance." His resignation meant that new elections for the Northern Ireland Assembly had to be called.
Personal Life and Interests
Martin McGuinness was married to Bernadette Canning in 1974. They had four children together.
He was a big fan of sports. He loved Gaelic football and hurling, which are traditional Irish sports. He played them when he was younger. His older brother, Tom, also played Gaelic football for Derry. Martin supported Derry City F.C., a local football team, where his younger brother Paul played.
McGuinness also supported the famous English football club Manchester United. He also enjoyed cricket and sometimes supported the England cricket team as well as the Ireland team.
Health and Passing
In December 2016, Martin McGuinness was advised by doctors not to travel due to health reasons. It was later revealed that he was suffering from amyloidosis. This is a rare illness that affects the body's organs.
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He was hospitalized in March 2017. Martin McGuinness passed away on 21 March 2017, at the age of 66. His funeral was attended by many people from different political backgrounds, showing his impact on the peace process.
See also
- Northern Ireland peace process
- Operation Taurus
Images for kids
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In Spanish: Martin McGuinness para niños
