David Trimble, Northern Irish Nobel Peace Prize winner, dies at age 77

Lord Trimble died on July 25 after a short illness. He was one of the main architects of the Good Friday Agreement that helped bring peace to Northern Ireland. Trimble received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1998 for his role in negotiating the peace deal that was signed the same year.

Leading the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), Trimble went on to become the first person who served as First Minister of Northern Ireland (1998 to 2002), sharing equal power with the deputy First Minister. Both roles are part of the power-sharing system of government between unionists and nationalists established by the Good Friday Agreement.

The peace deal largely ended the Northern Ireland conflict, also called “The Troubles”, which lasted for about thirty years and took the lives of thousands of people.

Trimble’s death comes at a time of uncertainty when Brexit has shown how fragile the peace in Northern Ireland really is. The UK’s departure from the EU has brought back old tensions and stirred up new violence. Trimble’s passing serves as a reminder of the hard work it took to bring peace to the region and the hard work it is going to take to protect it.

By Aletta Rochau
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