A “ONE in a million” Omagh councillor who qualified as a solicitor after retiring as a primary school principal has died aged 65.
SDLP councillor Seamus Shields, who represented the mid-Tyrone ward, died on Saturday night following a long illness, the party said.
SDLP leader Dr Alasdair McDonnell last night expressed “extreme sadness” at his colleague’s passing.
Dr McDonnell said: “It’s with deep regret and sadness that I learned of the news that our esteemed colleague Seamus has passed. The condolences of the SDLP are with his family, especially, Una, Dervla, Afric and William.
“Seamus faced the consequences of his illness over the years with a bravery rarely seen.
“When death became inevitable, Seamus displayed superhuman courage, remaining concerned for others throughout. I had the moving experience of visiting Seamus before he died and his courage and bravery astounded me.”
West Tyrone MLA Joe Byrne, a personal friend of Mr Shields, described his late colleague as “one in a million” and said that he was “a unique individual in terms of being an educationalist, a lawyer, a keen public representative of the SDLP and, above all, a dedicated family man and friend”.