THE DEATH has taken place of Belfast-born journalist James Kelly at the age of 100.
A reporter since 1928, he wrote his last column in May of this year for the Irish News. The piece was published on his birthday.
Described by colleagues yesterday as the father of journalism in Northern Ireland, Kelly had started his career with the newspaper. He covered key historical events including the Belfast Blitz in 1941 and the Belfast Agreement in 1998. He had retired in 1983.
"He is a legend of Irish journalism beyond doubt, the longest-serving columnist on these islands, a person whose life story was closely associated with the history of the Irish Newsand the history of the entire country . . . someone whose like you will not see again," Noel Doran, the paper's editor, said yesterday.
He added it was difficult to describe the affection readers had for Kelly. Doran said coming from the Falls Road had shaped Kelly’s political views, but his commitment to accurate reporting was never doubted.
Kelly had said in an interview with the BBC that one of his earliest memories was visiting Dublin with his family soon after the Easter Rising. In 1931 he joined the since defunct Irish Press, and afterwards worked for the Irish Independentfor 50 years before returning to the Irish News.
National Union of Journalists Irish secretary Séamus Dooley yesterday described Kelly as the “uncrowned king of Irish journalism”, and paid tribute to his coverage of Northern Ireland affairs.
“He was an authoritative commentator on Northern Ireland with in-depth knowledge and experience of Irish politics and of the complex relationship between Ireland and the UK,” said Mr Dooley.
He recalled Kelly was once asked by a journalist whether he had ever covered the Stormont parliament. “Jimmy replied with a twinkle in his eye, ‘Yes, I covered the opening’.”
SDLP member Carmel Hanna said in a statement yesterday that she was saddened by Kelly’s death, saying his “life view of the futility and immorality of violence for political purposes” was shaped by his knowledge of suffering caused by the first World War.
Kelly’s funeral takes place at noon on Monday in St Brigid’s Church, Malone Road, Belfast.