Paisley leaves quietly, saying Protestants and Catholics can get along

Ian Paisley,a symbol ofProtestant obduracy in Northern Ireland for decades beforehe becamepremierin partnership with a Catholic, is giving up power at age 82.

He was to be guest of honour at a $195 Cdn-a-plate farewellgala Fridaynight before handing over leadership of his Democratic Unionist Party on Saturday to longtime understudy Peter Robinson, the Belfast Telegraph reported.

Robinson takes over June 5 as Northern Ireland's first minister, apost Paisley has held since 2007 in tandem with Martin McGuinness,a Sinn Fein politician with rootsin bloody struggles between the Irish Republican ArmyandBritish forces in the 1970s.

Although McGinness's title is deputy first minister, he and Paisleywere regarded as co-leaders under a power-sharing deal.

Paisley, a fiery preacher-politican and founder of a breakaway Presbyterian denomination, made it clear in interviews thathe will resist callsfor a symbolic handshake with McGuinness as he leaves office.

"We've never shook hands," he told Britain's Press Association.

But he added thatthe two men "agreed that we would do our best, and we would fight our corner and we'll do our best to try and get decisions made that we can all live with, if not love.

"And that's what we did, and I think it's been very successful and I think also the success of it rests on the attitude of the people. The Roman Catholic population here and the Protestant population never were as close together as they are today. They are all saying no more bad days, no more killings, we are going this way."