Hi °C | Lo °C I COULDN'T agree more with the letter from Michael H W McDowell (Write Back, December 29) regarding the late ATQ Stewart being a truly great historian and a distinguished son of Northern Ireland.
I was a student of ATQ's while at Queen's University Belfast's history faculty and found him to be inspiring and just brilliant.
He made history breathe a life that made it accessible and fascinating. His classes where a sheer joy to attend.
His cameo biography of Carson, his authoritative book on the 1912 Ulster Crisis and his study, The Narrow Ground, are each a necessary read for anyone interested in Northern Ireland - indeed, I predict that his book on 1912 will be rejuvenated during 2012.
One of my favourite books of all time, A Deeper Silence, is a majestic and almost spiritual read about the roots of Northern Ireland's people.
ATQ, in my view, was a man of stature whose like we rarely see. He will most certainly be missed by all his past students.
IAN RK PAISLEY
House of Commons
