Madam, - Following David Trimble's resignation last Saturday I expected to find your letters page jam-packed with eulogies, or at the very least, sympathetic comment. I find the complete absence of comment very sad indeed.
I too had knitted my brows upon his election some 10 years ago and prophesied doom. To my great surprise I was completely wrong about the course his leadership would take. Certainly he is not personable, but I have grown to have the utmost respect for this man.
Mr Trimble has acted as a catalyst in bringing about fundamental changes in the outlook of Ulster unionists. He was enormously courageous in signing the Belfast Agreement and in prodding (no pun intended!) the peace process forward since. It hasn't been pretty - or very interesting - but he has ensured that it has kept going. For an Ulster Unionist Party leader this took great guts, when it would have been far easier to fold the arms and say No. Without Mr Trimble bringing the UUP along there would have been no Belfast Agreement, no Northern Executive and no DUP involved in the process.
There have been casualties along the way, and Mr Trimble and the UUP have paid a high cost for risk-taking, but Northern Ireland today is unrecognisable from its former self due to his efforts.
Stoically he fell on his own sword last Saturday in acknowledging that a new face was needed for the next leg of the journey.
But I applaud the straight-talking David Trimble for the tremendous contribution he has made to peace in this country. I believe that in the fullness of time history will recognise this. - Yours, etc,
PAUL HYLAND, Priory Walk, Terenure, Dublin 12.