“Remembering the loss of those Irishmen from all parts of the island who were sent to their deaths in the imperialist slaughter of the First World War is crucial to understanding our history. It is also important to recognise the special significance in which the Battle of the Somme and the First World War is held.”

Irish republican politician and statesman

Martin McGuinness was an Irish republican politician and statesman associated with Sinn Féin. He was a leading figure in the Provisional Irish Republican Army during The Troubles. He later served as deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland from May 2007 to January 2017. His public life is tied to the Northern Ireland conflict and its political aftermath, where he moved from militant republican leadership into high office.