Ciaran McKeown with founding members of the Peace People movement Betty Willliams and Mairead Corrigan
Former journalist Ciaran McKeown passed away at his home in south Belfast on Sunday.
The 76-year-old McKeown was born in Derry in 1943, the son of a teacher.
He was raised in Belfast where he spent most of his life, working as a journalist, in addition to time as a student leader, civil rights activist and peace activist.
He considered joining the Catholic priesthood and served as a Dominican novice for a short period.
He went on to Queen’s University, Belfast, where he studied philosophy.
In 1966 he became the first person from a Catholic background to be elected President of Queen’s University student representative council, after securing cross-community support among the student body.
A staunch union member, he was Father of the Chapel for the NUJ while working as a sub-editor at the News Letter and Sunday News.
He later moved to the Daily Mirror were he wrote his ‘Pipe of Peace’ column up until a few years ago.
Mr McKeown died peacefully at his home in Belfast on Sunday after a battle with cancer.
He was predeceased by his wife, Marianne and leaves seven children.
RIP Ciaran.
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