The warmth of the tributes paid to Bishop Edward Daly, who sadly died yesterday at the age of 82, provide a sense of the enormous regard in which he was held and the important role he played during the darkest days of the Troubles.
He was a Church leader who had authority and credibility but he also had the common touch and there was no distance or reserve between him and the people of Derry, who loved and revered this cleric who bravely spoke out against IRA violence, championed the marginalised, highlighted miscarriages of justice and worked tirelessly for peace.
As Eamonn McCann MLA noted, there are not too many bishops known to all and sundry by their first name and a diminutive of their first name at that.
The bishop will be remembered for his role on Bloody Sunday, a pivotal experience for the then Fr Daly who said: ``I felt a responsibility to state the reality of the situation to all those who would listen and to all who wanted to know.''
Edward Daly never shirked from his responsibilities or from telling the truth.
In his later years he served as a dedicated chaplain at Foyle Hospice, ministering to those at the end of their lives.
Bishop Daly will be remembered with deep affection as a man of faith, courage, kindness and compassion who touched many lives.
