Today is the 15th anniversary of the death of the inimitable Mo Mowlam, a key architect of the Good Friday Agreement and the first woman to be appointed Secretary of State for the north of Ireland.

( by Paul Mcerlane)

Often tossing her wig off in negotiations and calling political leaders ‘babe’, Mo Mowlam’s irreverence and tenacity cut through the animosity and pretence which had mired previous peace talks and allowed her to forge genuine relationships across the divide

Her memorial in Belfast isn’t a stuffy portrait or statue, but instead a play park within the grounds of Stormont for the children she helped secure peace for to play in and enjoy. Which is a really fitting and beautiful tribute imo

It’s such a pity that she often doesn’t get the same credit as many of the men who were involved in the peace process.

Her stepdaughter wrote this lovely tribute a few years ago about keeping her legacy alive https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/apr/12/good-friday-agreement-mo-mowlam