JOHN Dallat's death left a void in the lives of so many people, not least his family whom he loved dearly.
John was born in Rasharkin in 1947, the eldest of six boys, but his family moved to Kilrea when they were very young.
What a blessing that was for Kilrea because John put his heart and soul into making it a better place, a place where everyone could live in peace.
He went to the local primary school and continued his education at Coleraine Technical College and the Universities of Ulster and Galway.
After qualifying as a teacher, he taught in Carndonagh Technical College and Carndonagh Community School in Co Donegal.
During his time there he met and married local girl Anne Long, who was to be his confidant for the remainder of his life.
On returning home he took up a post in St Paul's, Kilrea, where he worked until stepping out of teaching to be a full-time politician in the Northern Ireland Assembly, representing East Derry.
John had joined the SDLP in the early 1970s and was a committed member right up until his untimely death on May 5 this year.
He was a socialist, a democrat, a labour man and a very solid party man.
He was never afraid to put his head above the parapet in the cause of justice, representing the voices of those in society who were in most need.
John was a long-serving member of Coleraine Borough Council, having fought his first election in 1977. He continued in the role until 2010 and was the borough's first nationalist mayor in 2001.
Although the chain of office hung heavily around his neck as he was not one for pomp or ceremony, he carried out his duties with great dignity, representing each and every citizen with equality.
While in office he also initiated the Zomba Action Project which was carried on by his wife and their daughter Helena, now a councillor and representative on the committee.
The charity has been proactive in raising thousands of pounds for those less fortunate in Malawi.
John was humble and caring. This was evident when he took up the fight for a homeless Ukrainian woman who had lost her legs because of frostbite.
The murder of the German backpacker Inga Maria Hauser was another case where he sought to secure justice for her family.
John was held in very high esteem and was a very capable politician which showed when he was elected Deputy Speaker of the Assembly in 2007, a position he held until 2016.
On his return to Kilrea, he was heavily involved with charities and organisations such as St Vincent de Paul, the Credit Union, Kilrea Enterprise Group, the ACE scheme, the Fairy Thorn festival and many more, too many to mention.
In fact, if John saw someone in need he didn’t have to be asked, he was automatically there to offer help.
As an MLA , he had a particular interest in the Belfast to Derry railway line which passed through his constituency and he fought to keep it open and indeed be upgraded.
His holidays were spent not in the sun-kissed countries of Europe but always in places that were impoverished. He loved being among and helping the poor and neglected.
Crowded beaches were not on his radar but he developed a great affection for the Aran Islands, even naming his home Dún Aonghasa.
While growing up John was full of mischief and into his adult years would have been known to play a trick or two on friends and foe alike.
Although he didn’t play sport himself he was supportive of local clubs and appreciated all that they do for the youth in their communities.
When John took ill he accepted whichever path it would take him. His bravery during the last few months was unreal, even when he knew he wasn’t going to win his last battle.
John had won many others over 45 years as a politician. He was a natural leader who never passed workload to anyone else, but in all that he achieved he was always modest.
Whether it was as a teacher, councillor, mayor, MLA or Deputy Speaker, he was simply John Dallat from Kilrea.
John’s door was always open to those in need although he had to take quite drastic security measures because of his outspokenness against sectarianism and violence.
He was very much pro-European and the blue flag with the yellow stars was flown in his garden all year round.
It was only eclipsed when Anne had to have the Donegal flag out come championship time. That was one battle he was never going to win.
John's death came during the coronavirus pandemic and his family adhered strictly to all the guidelines in place for everyone’s safety.
He deserved and would have had a very large wake and funeral but all neighbours and everyone else could do was stand along the route of the funeral cortege and show their respects and appreciation for someone who touched the lives of so many.
John was ever present at civil rights parades and it was very appropriate that as his funeral left his home the mourners were treated to the sweet sound of Mairéad Carlin, of Celtic Woman fame, singing the great civil rights anthem We Shall Overcome.
John Dallat is survived by his wife Anne, daughter Helena, sons Ronan and Diarmuid and their families.
