Democratic Unionist Party leader Ian Paisley smiles as he talks to media in Downing Street in this March 22, 2007 file photograph. (Photo: Reuters)
Former Northern Irish first minister Ian Paisley, the firebrand Protestant leader who struck a power-sharing deal with former foes Sinn Fein, died on Friday at the age of 88.
A towering figure during the Troubles in Northern Ireland, known for his full-throated Biblical rhetoric, Paisley had been ill for some time.
The preacher, who co-founded and led both the hardline Protestant, conservative Democratic Unionist Party and the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster, entered office with Sinn Fein in May 2007, restoring devolved government to the province.
"My beloved husband, Ian, entered his eternal rest this morning," his wife Eileen said in a statement.
"Although ours is the grand hope of reunion, naturally as a family we are heartbroken.
"We loved him and he adored us, and our earthly lives are forever changed."
Paisley's widow said his funeral would be private and attended only by his immediate family, as would be his burial, in accordance with his wishes.
"As a family we appreciate that there will be an expectation by those who admired him to express their gratitude for his life and their sorrow at his passing," the baroness said.
"To that end we will in due course publish details of a public memorial service which, will be scheduled later in the year."
Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness, the former Irish Republican Army paramilitary commander who entered government with Paisley in 2007 as deputy first minister -- a post he still holds -- voiced his sadness as the unionist titan's passing.
"Over a number of decades we were political opponents and held very different views on many, many issues but the one thing we were absolutely united on was the principle that our people were better able to govern themselves than any British government," he said in a statement.
"I want to pay tribute to and comment on the work he did in the latter days of his political life in building agreement and leading unionism into a new accommodation with republicans and nationalists.
"I developed a close working relationship with him which developed into a friendship, which despite our many differences lasted beyond his term in office."
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