Michael H.C. McDowell, who played a significant role in the Northern Ireland peace process, remembers his friend as a “centrist democratic socialist” from a “proudly non-sectarian family of distinguished teachers, academics, and artists who were Irish, Northern Irish, and British, and not always in that order”.

“Neil’s focus was on fundamentally democratic rule of law, equality before the law, and he had a sceptical view of interest groups seeking any special part in politics over others,” he writes.

“Neil was a smart principal of an historic Belfast law practice, but he was more passionate about constitutional and social reforms, well thought out and researched, emphasising human rights but on an equal basis, and later became a sole practitioner advising journalists on libel issues.”