John Hume: the Persuader

Peacemaker, politician, Nobel laureate: John Hume was a titan of Irish political history and a key architect of the Good Friday Agreement, bringing peace to Northern Ireland after decades of conflict. But who was the real John Hume? What sustained him during the bloody years of violence and how did he convince the IRA to end its long-running campaign? How did he persuade presidents and prime ministers to take risks and back his vision for Northern Ireland? In his biography of the SDLP leader, former BBC correspondent Stephen Walker combines over 100 interviews with many of Hume’s colleagues, critics and family members, with never-before-published interviews with Hume himself, to present a comprehensive portrait of one of the most significant political figures in Northern Ireland and around the world. Stephen will be in conversation with Deirdre Hurley.