Inez McCormack, the prominent and well-known trade unionist and human rights activist, passed away on Monday 21 January 2013 following a short illness.
Michael Farrell, senior solicitor for FLAC and lifelong friend of Inez pays tribute to her below:
"Inez McCormack, trade unionist, lifelong campaigner for civil rights. equality, women’s rights, and founder of the grass-roots, cross-community Participation and Practice of Rights project, has died after a long battle with cancer. A light has gone out with her death.
She devoted her whole life to the struggle for equality and human rights in Northern Ireland, for women’s rights, especially low-paid women workers, and for the disadvantaged and voiceless in all communities. She was a major figure in the trade union movement and the first woman President of the ICTU. Coming from a staunchly Unionist background, she threw herself into the struggle for civil rights in Northern Ireland and she played a significant part in the peace process and helped to ensure that concern for the disadvantaged of all sides was included in the Good Friday Agreement, a commitment that has still to be delivered on.
More recently she worked to set up the Participation and Practice of Rights group to empower the disadvantaged and powerless across the political divide in Northern Ireland.
Inez was a hugely kind and generous woman. It was a privilege to have known her, to have walked some of the way with her, and to have been able to call her a friend. She will be greatly missed but hopefully her passing will inspire others to take up the torch.
Deepest sympathy to Inez’s husband and comrade in many struggles, Vinny, and to their daughter Anne, son-in-law Mark and their grandchildren Maisie and Jamie."
Click here to read an article and another which give a good picture of Inez McCormack’s work over the years
The Inez McCormack fund has been set up by the Participation and the Practice of Rights