Death dominates the news today.
In Derry, the former deputy first minister of Northern Ireland, Sinn Féin leader and IRA commander Martin McGuinness will be laid to rest amongst his own people after a funeral service in the church of St Columba’s, Long Tower, this afternoon.
Derry was already preparing to say farewell to a favourite son, the young footballer and captain of Derry City who died suddenly at his home on Sunday when the news of McGuinness’s death broke. Ryan McBride’s funeral will take place in the same church a few hours earlier; it will be an emotional day on the Bogside.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny and the President Michael D Higgins as well as a host of former office holders and political leaders will be present. Reports last night suggested former US president Bill Clinton and the former British prime minister Tony Blair would attend today.
Security will no doubt be tight, though early worries in Dublin that the funeral would feature paramilitary trappings in homage to McGuinness’s IRA “active service diminished”. Funerals have always been important to republicans, and Sinn Féin knows that the eyes of the world will be on them today. They will think carefully about the message they want to convey, and that is unlikely to be about the past. The graveside oration is to be delivered by Gerry Adams.
Significantly, the former first minister Arlene Foster is likely to attend, RTÉ was reporting last night, though our own report, from Northern Editor Gerry Moriarty, is more cautious. Ms Foster avoided rancour in the course of a generous (by her standards) tribute to McGuinness at Stormont yesterday and apparently wants to pay her respects in person today.
Some in the North believe that the shock of McGuinness’s early death will jolt the political process back into life, with a deal between the parties now on the cards again before next Monday’s deadline for the restoration of the executives.
Perhaps they’re right; sometimes funerals offer the opportunity to reflect and re-prioritise, to concentrate on what’s important. Though deep divisions that are submerged for the sake of propriety - in whatever context -- usually reappear before too long.
If a deal is reached before Monday, it will between Sinn Féin and the DUP. The two Governments are involved - and the Irish may seek to persuade the British to move on “legacy” issues - but the days of banging heads together are gone.
As Fiach Kelly reports, Enda Kenny was telling his parliamentary party yesterday evening that he will remain as Taoiseach for the coming weeks to seek the resuscitation of the Northern Executive. But the entire thrust of his Northern policy has been to force the parties sort these matters out themselves.
Westminster
Five people, including the lone knife-wielding attacker, are dead after the incident at the Houses of Parliament in Westminster yesterday, many others are injured. Three of the dead were killed by the man's SUV on Westminster bridge. Police said that attack was thought to be "Islamist related", the Guardian reports.
There's blanket coverage in all the papers, with Denis Staunton's reports from Westminster here and here.
The aftermath of the attack will dominate news coverage today, with British prime minister Theresa May expected to address the House of Commons. London - and everywhere else where attacks are feared - will be on high alert. Updates all day on irishtimes.com.
Meanwhile, off the coast of Co Mayo, where relatives of the crew of Rescue 116 have maintained a vigil since last week’s helicopter crash, efforts will continue today to recover the crew members.
The wreckage of the Coast Guard helicopter was located yesterday, close to Blackrock island, though sea conditions prevented any attempt by divers to investigate. A massive operation remains in place, which will continue until the crew is recovered.
