Gavan Reilly: A fond memory of heroic George Mitchell

Speaking of memories, watching George Mitchell at Queen’s University this week - making what amounts to a farewell address to the people of Northern Ireland - brought back some memories of a happier encounter in journalism.

The 20th anniversary of the agreement was an equally sombre one - there was no Executive functioning then either, as Sinn Fein had just walked out over the cash-for-ash scandal, and Brexit was threatening an existential crisis in the North anyway.

Nonetheless, grateful for the two decades of peace brought by the Agreement, I found an email address for one of Mitchell’s assistants and was able to book him for a televised sit-down interview on the morning of a commemorative event at Queen’s. Mitchell was staying at the Europa Hotel so we booked a meeting room there for filming, and cameraman Mark Armstrong and I spent two hours setting up lighting and cameras.

Mitchell was a consummate gentleman who far outstayed the allotted time and - with notable good grace, considering how often he must have heard the same thing - generously allowed me to take off my professional hat and offer my personal thanks for ending a generational cycle of violence.

As we packed up we discovered Mitchell’s mobile phone left on our makeshift set. We had carried out the interview sitting in front of a copy of the Agreement, signed by Mitchell himself and all of the other main talks participants. When Mitchell sat down he had tucked his mobile just behind the framed copy and forgot to take it with him on departure.

Just as we spotted it, Mitchell himself returned to the room having realised the same mistake - and just as I was handing the phone to him, it vibrated with a call.

“Oh,” said Mitchell. “President Clinton.” And then, instead of answering, he extended his hand for another handshake. “I’ll call him back.”

What a man.