Lord Trimble 'Graduates'

The former Ulster Unionist Leader and original First Minister of Northern Ireland, David Trimble is being honoured by a Scottish university today.

David Trimble - now Lord Trimble of Lisnagarvey - will be awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws by Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen.

The 64-year-old worked as a barrister and then as a senior lecturer in law at Queen's University in Belfast before focusing on politics.

From 1998 to 2002 he was First Minister of Northern Ireland and he took a seat in the House of Lords as a crossbench peer before becoming a Conservative peer in 2007.

Together with former SDLP Leader John Hume he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1998 for their efforts to find a solution to the conflict in Northern Ireland.

He took a seat in the House of Lords as a crossbench peer before becoming a Conservative peer in 2007.

The honour may well be tinged with sadness though as the reality of decades of The Troubles is recalled.

This month marks the anniversary of the murder of David Trimble's professional and political colleague, Queen's University law lecturer and Ulster Unionist Assembly Member, Edgar Graham.

He was killed on campus, just yards from their shared office, 25 years ago this Sunday.

Mr Graham was shot several times in the back of the head. A passing doctor, who also worked at the university, tried in vain to resuscitate him.

It is understood the IRA used information gleaned from a university timetable to pinpoint Mr Graham's movement ahead of his murder.

No one has ever been convicted of the murder, although two former students were later given suspended sentences for withholding information.

(BMcC)