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21st Mar 2017

Martin McGuinness, former deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, dies aged 66

He had been diagnosed with a rare heart condition in December

Niamh Maher

Martin McGuinness has died at the age of 66.

McGuinness passed away early on Tuesday morning at Derry’s Altnagelvin Hospital, with his family by his bedside, following a short illness.

In January, the 66-year-old stepped down from politics amid the so-called cash-for-ash scandal which saw DUP leader Arlene Foster come under mounting pressure to resign.

He had been diagnosed with a rare heart condition in December.

McGuinness’s resignation triggered a snap election in Northern Ireland. He announced in January that he was leaving politics.

He was a former member of the IRA’s army council and worked as Sinn Fein’s chief negotiator during the peace process.

McGuinness led Sinn Fein into power-sharing with the DUP in 2007 and served as deputy first minister alongside Ian Paisley, Peter Robinson and Arlene Foster.