There's little doubt McGuinness was a brutal man in his day, but then that brutality was practised by all sides in the conflict. The fact that McGuinness was largely responsible for beating swords into ploughshares should be enough for us (many of whom remember the terror of the bombing campaign) to recognise his place in history. His part in negotiating the Good Friday Agreement alone is immensely significant; one day this will mean a united Ireland.