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"Ian Paisley, a giant of Northern Ireland politics for 40 years, handed the leadership of his party Saturday to Peter Robinson, who becomes First Minister of the British province next week.
Dogged until recently by three decades of civil unrest known as "the Troubles," Paisley , 82, helped bring stability to Northern Ireland by agreeing finally to share power with one-time republican arch enemies Sinn Fein.
He used to be nicknamed "Dr No" because of he and his hardline Protestant Democratic Unionist Party's (DUP) refusal to deal with Catholic Sinn Fein, once the political wing of paramilitary group the Irish Republican Army (IRA).
But since becoming First Minister of Northern Ireland last year, Paisley has worked well with Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness, his deputy and a former IRA commander, in an alliance which would have been unthinkable a few years ago.
The veteran preacher, who founded the DUP in 1970, formally handed leadership of his party to Robinson on Saturday when the DUP ratified Robinson's nomination at a meeting in Castlereagh on the outskirts of Belfast.
Robinson, currently Northern Ireland's Finance Minister, will become First Minister Thursday at the head of the power-sharing government with Sinn Fein."
I recall breathing a sigh of relief when Paisley decided to work with Sinn Fein last year, and although unsurprised I'm a little disappointed he refused to shake his hand on departure. Now, in passing the baton on, such a change of style may bring interesting times ...
Northern Ireland News | Full Coverage
Dogged until recently by three decades of civil unrest known as "the Troubles," Paisley , 82, helped bring stability to Northern Ireland by agreeing finally to share power with one-time republican arch enemies Sinn Fein.
He used to be nicknamed "Dr No" because of he and his hardline Protestant Democratic Unionist Party's (DUP) refusal to deal with Catholic Sinn Fein, once the political wing of paramilitary group the Irish Republican Army (IRA).
But since becoming First Minister of Northern Ireland last year, Paisley has worked well with Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness, his deputy and a former IRA commander, in an alliance which would have been unthinkable a few years ago.
The veteran preacher, who founded the DUP in 1970, formally handed leadership of his party to Robinson on Saturday when the DUP ratified Robinson's nomination at a meeting in Castlereagh on the outskirts of Belfast.
Robinson, currently Northern Ireland's Finance Minister, will become First Minister Thursday at the head of the power-sharing government with Sinn Fein."
I recall breathing a sigh of relief when Paisley decided to work with Sinn Fein last year, and although unsurprised I'm a little disappointed he refused to shake his hand on departure. Now, in passing the baton on, such a change of style may bring interesting times ...
Northern Ireland News | Full Coverage