Alex Maskey enhanced his reputation and that of Sinn Fein during his term as lord mayor of Belfast, writes Gerry Moriarty, Northern Editor
The first Sinn Féin lord mayor of Belfast, Mr Alex Maskey, was so taken with his job that yesterday he suggested the post in future should be held for two years. Just as Mr Martin McGuinness loved being in charge of education, Mr Maskey took enormous pleasure in running Belfast.
Twelve months of Mr Maskey was more than enough for unionist councillors, however. They found the lord mayor initially so objectionable that they wouldn't even appoint a unionist councillor to be his deputy. Some of the more extreme elements were surprised that the great dome of City Hall didn't come crashing down because such a high-profile republican was its chief resident.
Privately though, and sometimes even publicly, there were unionists who admitted that the 51-year-old former boxer carried out his duties efficiently, and genuinely attempted to be a lord mayor for all the people. A former UUP Assembly member, Sir John Gorman, at least had no difficulty in acknowledging his achievements.
Mr Maskey had to apply some fancy footwork in the often dangerous ring which is the sectarian, social and political world of Belfast. He had to reach out to unionists and not upset his own constituency by appearing too fawning or toadying to unionism.
He took risks, some of which might have annoyed republicans, but he came through the 12 months of office in good shape, with his reputation and that of Sinn Féin enhanced.
Indeed it could have ended in greater triumph, with Sinn Féin claiming additional Assembly seats in Belfast in the elections that were scheduled for last Thursday. Such a success could have been partly ascribed to Mr Maskey.
Mr Gerry Adams was so impressed with Mr Maskey that yesterday he conferred on him chief responsibility for "future outreach work with the wider unionist community", the initiative to persuade unionists of republican bona fides.
A month after putting on the mayoral chain, Mr Maskey laid a wreath at the Cenotaph in Belfast in memory of the thousands of Ulstermen who fell in the Battle of the Somme. During the year he also travelled to Belgium and France to honour the Irish war dead. He attended the Presbyterian General Assembly in Belfast and availed of any opportunity to meet unionists and Protestant clergy and lay representatives.