Statement from President Clinton on the Passing of Seamus Mallon

For Immediate Release: January 24, 2020
Contact: press@presidentclinton.com

Statement from President Clinton on the Passing of Seamus Mallon

Hillary and I are saddened by the passing of Seamus Mallon, a hero of the peace process in Northern Ireland and a profoundly good man.  From his earliest entry into politics, Seamus never wavered from his vision for a shared future where neighbors of all faiths could live in dignity—or from the belief he shared with John Hume and the entire SDLP that nonviolence was the only way to reach that goal.  As his party’s chief negotiator in the talks leading to the Good Friday Agreement, he was respected by all parties for his intelligence and integrity, his candor and convictions.  And as the inaugural Deputy First Minister, he worked with David Trimble to ensure that the peace he had spent 30 years struggling to build would not crumble under the weight of politics or the past.  A teacher in practice and in heart, the lessons of his life and power of his example are as important today as ever.

I will always be grateful for the opportunity to have known and worked closely with him.  My thoughts and prayers are with his family and all the people whose lives he touched.