Hillary Clinton leads tributes to her "dear friend" human rights activist Inez McCormack

US Secretary of State has expressed her deep sadness at the death of Northern Irish hero

Liam Gallagher, secretary of the Derry Trades Union Council added: “Inez fought her illness bravely and I am deeply saddened to learn that she has died."

Read more: Newsweek name Inez McCormack as one of the women who shake the world

He went on to say, “She was fearless and championed on behalf of public service workers not just in Derry but everywhere she could, and she will be so sadly missed.”

Belfast Telegraph reports that activist and Belfast Telegraph columnist Eamonn McCann recalled that the first time he encountered Inez was when he was a young student at Queen’s University.

He said: “This was at a time when there would have been very few women with prominent positions with the trade unions so she was a trailblazer for those who have come behind her.
“She was a very engaging, strong-minded woman and while I didn't always agree with her and our opinions would have differed on certain things, we never fell out about it and I liked her for that.”

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Nster.com