Community Correspondent, BBC News NI
BBCFormer Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) MP, Rev Martin Smith, died at the age of 94.
He served as the Grand Master of Orange Lodge at an altitude of The Tribals between 1972 and 1998.
The Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland described Rev Smith as “a leader of unbreakable principle and often determined through a stallwart of difficult times and orange cause”.
YouP leader Mike Nesbit said Rev Smith’s “imprint would be final”.
He resigned from his ministry, a presbyterian minister, and was elected to Parliament in 1982 after the murder of Robert Bradford MP by Ira in 1982.
He was a unsuccessful candidate for UUP leadership in 1995 after Lord Molino’s resignation, finishing fourth to the winner David Trimbal.
NESBIT said that from his days as a broadcast journalist before entering politics, Rev Smith “had a sometimes present heavyweight in local politics, whose views were always important”.
“He may not be prominent like other people in the public sector, but is very impressive behind the curtain,” the Health Minister said.
Calm but permission
Mildeed Rev Martin Smith was overshadled by tub-lumping politicians in the 1980s and 1990s.
However, no unionist had a better political CV.
He was a Protestant Pastor, Head of Orange Order and MP for South Belfast.
His views were conservative, staunch and often radical.
Within the unionist community, he took over the command of great respect.
He did not need to shout to listen.
