Queen Elizabeth and the former president of South Africa, Mr Nelson Mandela, led the weekend tributes to Mr David Astor, the former editor and proprietor of the Observer newspaper, who died in his sleep on Friday morning. He was 89.
Mr Astor's death was also mourned by his many friends in Ireland, North and South. A founder member of the British Irish Association in 1972, he served as its chairman from 1976 until 1990.
Formed initially to reduce the antagonisms in the British-Irish relationship, the BIA inevitably became heavily focused on the crisis in Northern Ireland. Through the long years of terrorism and political stalemate the extraordinarily modest Mr Astor played an important behind-the-scenes role encouraging politicians on all sides toward the search for a settlement.
Mrs Marigold Johnson, the former director of the BIA, said last night: "David cared as much about the BIA as he had done for the Observer." Her successor, Mrs Mary Keen, agreed he had done much to keep political hope alive, wielding "important private influence at a time when politicians and officials had almost reached despair".
The son of the second Viscount Astor, David Astor was appointed editor of the Observer, which they owned, in 1948. From then until he stepped down in 1975 he earned a reputation as one of the great radical editors of 20th century journalism.
Mr Mandela described him yesterday as "one of the best and most loyal friends". The former president of South Africa said: "Under him the Observer supported the African National Congress from the early years of apartheid when we most needed it and when most newspapers ignored it."
Following his subsequent arrest and imprisonment, Mr Mandela said: "David went to extraordinary lengths for me to receive books, which I passed on to other prisoners who shared my gratitude."
He continued: "During the years on Robben Island and in Pollsmoor I knew the Observer was continuing to keep myself and my colleagues in the minds of the British people while our names were banned in our own country."
The ex-BBC political editor and former Observer executive Mr John Cole said of Mr Astor: "He subscribed to the dictum of C. P. Scott (Manchester Guardian editor from 1872 to 1929) that the purpose of serious journalism was to 'bear on the minds and consciences of men'."