The former Moderator and General Secretary of the Presbyterian Church, Dr Jack Weir (81), has died.
In December 1974, along with other churchmen, he met the IRA leadership at Feakle, Co Clare, in an attempt to end the violence. In another initiative he controversially led a Presbyterian Church delegation to meet Pope John Paul when he visited Ireland in 1979. He was involved in the Ballymascanlon talks between the Protestant Churches and the Catholic Church and assisted in formalising regular meetings of the four main church leaders.
In 1992 he met paramilitaries and their political leaders, including Mr Tom Hartley and Mr Gerry Adams of Sinn Fein, to promote dialogue.
Paying tribute to Dr Weir, the current Moderator, Dr Trevor Morrow, said: "Jack Weir was a man of utter integrity." His "willingness to honour and give of himself to those with whom he may have disagreed meant that there was no one in the Presbyterian Church and in the wider community who did not respect and genuinely admire him . . . Jack Weir was a towering figure in the Irish church." The Catholic Primate, Dr Sean Brady, said Dr Weir was an outstanding Churchman who had played "a key role in the meetings of the four church leaders and generously used his talents to promote greater understanding and to build relationships". Dr Brady offered his sympathy to the Presbyterian Church.
The Church of Ireland Primate, Dr Robin Eames, said Dr Weir "was one of the pioneers of ecumenism in this island and his courage when, with others, he met the IRA at Feakle will long be remembered. I admired him greatly, not least in his long battle with ill health."
