19/12/2008

Conor Cruise Dies

The former Irish government minister and journalist Conor Cruise O'Brien, who at one point joined the UK Unionist Party in Northern Ireland, has died.

The Taoiseach, Brian Cowen, has been leading tributes for him after he passed away last night at the age of 91.

Mr O'Brien was Minister for Posts and Telegraphs during the Fine Gael-Labour coalition in the 1970s and also went on to become a Senator.

He later became Editor-in-Chief of the Observer newspaper in the UK and was a strong critic of Charles Haughey, as well as Sinn Fein and the IRA.

Dr O'Brien is perhaps best known for his part in introducing a broadcasting ban on members of Sinn Fein and also defended alleged violent mistreatment of republican suspects by the Gardai.

Mr Cowen said last night that Dr O'Brien had been a leading figure in Irish life since the 1960s, challenging and passionate, with sincere commitments to a better and more peaceful Ireland.

Labour party TD Joan Burton, meanwhile, said he was responsible for some defining moments in Irish politics.

Dr O'Brien is survived by his wife, the Irish-language poet Maire Mhac an tSaoi, their two adopted children and two other children from his first marriage.

(BMcC)

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