'Finish his work' urges Clinton at McGuinness funeral

Former US president Bill Clinton has urged the people of Northern Ireland to finish the peace-building work Martin McGuinness started.

He was speaking to mourners at the funeral of the former deputy first minister in Londonderry on Thursday afternoon.

"Our friend earned this vast crowd today," he said.

"Even more, he earned the right to ask us to honour his legacy by our living - to finish the work that is there to be done."

Mr Clinton said he appreciated that DUP leader Arlene Foster has attended the funeral of the senior Sinn Féin politician at Long Tower church.

Looking down on a coffin draped in an Irish Tricolour, the former US president, who was central to the Good Friday Agreement negotiations, implored today's leaders to pick up where Mr McGuinness left off.

"He persevered and he prevailed. He risked the wrath of his comrades and the rejection of his adversaries," Mr Clinton said.

"He made honourable compromises and was strong enough to keep them and came to be trusted because his word was good.

"And he never stopped being who he was. A good husband, a good father, a follower of the faith of his father and mother and a passionate believer in a free, secure, self-governing Ireland."

Mr Clinton spoke briefly with the McGuinness family after his passionate eulogy and touched the coffin as he walked by.