Retirement
On 4 February 2004, Hume announced his complete retirement from politics, and shepherded Mark Durkan as the SDLP leader and successor. He did not contest the 2004 European election (when his seat was won by Bairbre de Brún of Sinn Féin) or the 2005 general election, in which Mark Durkan successfully held the Foyle constituency for the SDLP.
Hume and his wife, Pat, continue to be active in promoting European integration, issues around global poverty and the Credit Union movement. In furtherance of his goals, he continues to speak publicly, including a visit to Seton Hall University in New Jersey in 2005, the first Summer University of Democracy of the Council of Europe (Strasbourg, 10–14 July 2006), and St Thomas University, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada 18 July 2007. A recent building in the National University of Ireland, Maynooth was named after him.
Hume also holds the position of Club President at his local soccer team, Derry City F.C., of whom he has been a keen supporter all his life.
John Hume is a patron of the children's charity Plan Ireland.
Read more about this topic: John Hume
Famous quotes containing the word retirement:
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—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
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We may boldly spend, upon the hope
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A comfort of retirement lives in this.
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—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)