The funeral in Formby of former MP, Kevin McNamara was attended by MP, Bill Esterson along with a nu
Sefton Central Labour MP, Bill Esterson attended the funeral in Formby of former MP, Kevin McNamara. The funeral was held at Our Lady of Compassion in School Lane on Tuesday 22nd August at 12noon.
The funeral was attended by a number of politicians from the mainland and from Northern Ireland, a measure of Mr McNamara's role in achieving peace on the island of Ireland in the 1990s. Among those present was former Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott and Merseyside MPs, Conor McGinn and Dan Carden. The Labour Party was also represented by Shadow Northern Ireland Minister, Stephen Pound MP and by David Hanson. The Irish embassy was also represented along with senior representatives of the Catholic church and the Knights of St Gregory, to which order Mr McNamara had been awarded.
At the funeral mass, Kevin McNamara's daughter Brigid read one of the lessons and his son Brendan gave the eulogy.
After the mass, mourners were invited to the Gild Hall to celebrate Kevin's life.
Bill Esterson MP said, 'Mourners from overseas, especially from Ireland, joined local people and Kevin McNamara's family in a celebration of Kevin's life in Formby. Kevin and Nora made their home here after he retired from politics in 2005 and they joined family, who already lived in Formby. Family was very important to Kevin and Nora and his children, grandchidren and nieces were among those who took part in the funeral proceedings.
'Kevin was cared for in Southport Hospital shortly before he died and he and his family were extremely grateful for the care he received after being flown back from Spain, where he was taken ill. Kevin was passionate about the importance of the NHS to the people he represented as an MP in Hull. In his maiden speech in 1966, he said,
"Conservative MPs talk eloquently of turning pensions over to private enterprise, and there is a positive fear in many parts of the country that they intend to do the same with the National Health Service."
'There is a certain irony therefore that Southport Hospital has just seen the privatisation of community services which are partly based there, more than 50 years after Kevin's warning.'
'Kevin's son, Brendan quoted his dad's maiden speech in the eulogy, including the section on Conservative plans to privatise the NHS. Brendan also spoke about Kevin's desire to help solve the housing crisis and deal with the inequality he found in Hull. As times change, it is clear that many of the same challenges face us today, half a century after Kevin McNamara was first elected to parliament.
'Kevin was elected in a by-election in 1966 in Hull and was able to promise his constituents that the Humber Bridge would be built. He kept the promise and it helped him to be elected.
'But it was Kevin's role in helping put in place the conditions for peace in Northern Ireland that brought people from far and wide to his funeral. Kevin was Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland until 1994 and was widely respected for his work in building trust.
'He gave much good advice and told me to have a good work life balance and to look after my family. It is good advice and it is advice that he followed.
Brendan, his son, told us at the funeral that he called his wife, Nora every day, no matter where he was in the world and that he was determined to live long enough so they could spend their 57th wedding anniversary together, which he managed to do.
'Kevin McNamara, rest in peace.'
Original:
Former Labour MP Kevin McNamara, from Formby who served his Hull constituency for nearly 40 years, has died aged 82 on the 6th August.
The funeral of Kevin McNamara will be on Tuesday 22nd August at 12noon at Our Lady of Compassion RC Church, School Lane, Formby, L37 3LW.
The former shadow secretary of state for Northern Ireland was diagnosed with inoperable pancreatic cancer after falling ill while on holiday in Spain.
Mr McNamara, who represented Hull North from 1966 to 2005, had no previous symptoms and died at his home in Formby, Merseyside, his family said.
Tributes have been paid tribute to the "widely respected" politician. Mr McNamara's family said he was staying in Carboneras and was "pain-free" before becoming suddenly unwell last month.
He was taken out of the Spanish town by air ambulance and admitted to Southport and Formby District General Hospital on 28 July.
In a statement, his family said: "He died peacefully at home, surrounded by his family, following a short and unexpected illness."
They also thanked medical staff in Carboneras and Almeria, and NHS staff and an insurance company who helped Mr McNamara return home.
Formby Labour branch secretary, Nina Killen said: "Everybody in the Labour party in Formby was saddened to hear of the death of Kevin McNamara and our thoughts are with his family."
Sefton Central MP Bill Esterson, said: "I was very sad to learn of the death of, Kevin McNamara. Kevin was a Member of Parliament before I was first elected.
MP Bill Esterson said: "I met Kevin a number of times at Labour Party events in my constituency and am very grateful for the support he gave me, which included some excellent advice. That advice included the importance for politicians of looking after your family and of getting the work life balance right. Kevin moved to Formby to be closer to his own family after he stepped down from parliament in 2005 and he became a stalwart of our community, serving on the Formby Pool Trust and becoming active in the Irish Community in Liverpool."
"Kevin was the Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland from 1987 to 1995 and played a key part in the early stages of the peace process, which led to the Good Friday Agreement."
"He represented Hull North from 1966 to 2005. One of Kevin's first acts was to persuade the then Prime Minister, Harold Wilson to approve the building of the Humber Bridge. By all accounts, Kevin was a fantastic MP for his Hull constituents throughout his time in parliament. My colleagues from Hull all speak fondly of Kevin and former Deputy Prime Minister, who was a neighbouring MP, described Kevin as a 'class act'."
"Kevin was born in Liverpool in 1934. He attended St Mary’s college in Crosby and studied law at University College Hull, where he met his future wife, Nora. They married in 1960. He became head of history at St Mary’s grammar school in Hull and then a law lecturer, before unsuccessfully contesting Bridlington for Labour in 1964."
"Kevin always remembered his roots and in 1997, he persuaded Prime Minister, Tony Blair to match funding by the Irish government for a memorial in Liverpool to the victims of the Irish potato famine. I have fond memories of Kevin and my thoughts are with Nora and with the rest of Kevin's family."
Tributes have been paid to the politician on social media. Former deputy prime minister John Prescott, who was also a Hull MP for many years, called him "a class act". Posting an image of himself with Mr McNamara on Twitter, he wrote: "From securing the Humber Bridge, working for peace in Northern Ireland & serving North Hull with distinction, Kevin McNamara was a class act."
Mr McNamara, who was born in Liverpool in 1934, graduated in law at the then University College Hull before meeting his wife, Nora, who he married in 1960.
He became head of history at Hull's St Mary's Grammar School before becoming a law lecturer.
In 1966 he won the Hull North seat for the Labour Party, two years after unsuccessfully contesting Bridlington in 1964.
Mr McNamara held a range of positions during his parliamentary career, including shadow secretary of state for Northern Ireland between 1987 and 1995, followed by shadow minister for the civil service between 1995 and 1996. He was a backbencher under Tony Blair before he stood down from his seat in 2005.
Mr McNamara leaves behind his wife Nora, three sons and a daughter. Another of his sons died before him.
The funeral of Kevin McNamara will be on Tuesday 22nd August at 12noon at Our Lady of Compassion RC Church, School Lane, Formby, L37 3LW.
Our deepest sympathy to all his family and friends.
