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| Conor Cruise O'Brien dies aged 91 | Conor Cruise O'Brien dies aged 91 |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The former Irish government minister and journalist Conor Cruise O'Brien has died aged 91. | The former Irish government minister and journalist Conor Cruise O'Brien has died aged 91. |
| A son-in-law of ex-deputy taoiseach Sean McEntee, he was minister for posts and telegraphs in the Fine Gael-Labour coalition government of the 1970s. | |
| He was an outspoken opponent of republicanism and was for a period a member of Robert McCartney's United Kingdom Unionist Party in NI. | He was an outspoken opponent of republicanism and was for a period a member of Robert McCartney's United Kingdom Unionist Party in NI. |
| He is survived by his wife Maire and two sons, Patrick and Donal. | He is survived by his wife Maire and two sons, Patrick and Donal. |
| Dr Cruise O'Brien was born in Dublin in November 1917, the son of a journalist. | Dr Cruise O'Brien was born in Dublin in November 1917, the son of a journalist. |
| He was raised a Catholic but soon rejected religion. | He was raised a Catholic but soon rejected religion. |
| In 1961, when the Congo was threatened with civil war, he was chosen by the United Nations Secretary General to be a special representative to the country which had become newly independent. | In 1961, when the Congo was threatened with civil war, he was chosen by the United Nations Secretary General to be a special representative to the country which had become newly independent. |
| Dr O'Brien stood in the 1969 Dail elections and won the North-East Dublin seat for Labour. | Dr O'Brien stood in the 1969 Dail elections and won the North-East Dublin seat for Labour. |
| He became his party's spokesman on foreign affairs and particularly on the civil unrest in Northern Ireland. | He became his party's spokesman on foreign affairs and particularly on the civil unrest in Northern Ireland. |
| He lost his seat in 1977 but was elected to the Senate two months later. | He lost his seat in 1977 but was elected to the Senate two months later. |
| He became editor-in-chief of the Observer newspaper in 1978 and held the post for three years. | He became editor-in-chief of the Observer newspaper in 1978 and held the post for three years. |
| Taoiseach Brian Cowen described Dr O'Brien as a leading figure in Irish life in many spheres since the 1960s. | Taoiseach Brian Cowen described Dr O'Brien as a leading figure in Irish life in many spheres since the 1960s. |
| He said he had never doubted "his sincerity or his commitment to a better and more peaceful Ireland". | He said he had never doubted "his sincerity or his commitment to a better and more peaceful Ireland". |