Over 20,000 people tuned in to watch an online tribute to the late Bobby Storey on the first anniversary of his death.

Leading republican Bobby Storey died in Newcastle, England, on Sunday, June 21 after an unsuccessful lung transplant operation. 

A senior figure in the republican movement since his youth, Bobby was first interned on his 17th birthday in 1973.

He was remanded on IRA charges repeatedly in the 1970s including a period in England. Close to the end of the H-Block hunger strike in 1981, he was arrested after an attack on the British Army in Andersonstown and subsequently spent 13 years in jail. He was amongst the IRA volunteers who masterminded the 1983 'Great Escape' from Long Kesh.

An online video, which was broadcast live by Belfast Sinn Féin on the first anniversary of his death on Monday, included reflections and recollections from some of those who knew him.

Bobby's friend and comrade, Brian White, recounted his early days in Riverdale, to where the Storey family moved after being burnt out of their home in North Belfast, and told of Bobby's courage during the most "frightening" days of the conflict. 

He spoke of Bobby's ability to "reach out" to others and to "make friends very quickly", and described him a as "a brave and courageous volunteer".

"He led from the front – didn't expect anybody else to do anything other than what he would've done himself," he said.

"He was a natural leader and showed strength in character, was gregarious, funny  and it lit up the company when he came into it, no matter where it was. In those days they were pretty necessary qualities and characteristics of a leader, and he had them in abundance".

Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly, who helped plan the 1983 prison escape with Bobby, described him as a "key planner" of the breakout.

He recalled his "mind for detail", which marked him out as a "revolutionary".

"He was a natural revolutionary," he said.

"He understood that it wasn't just to be in a military fight, that you were part of the people, that you had to be part of that community".

And Gerry spoke of Bobby's "great sense of humour", adding that he had charisma in "bundles".

"He inspired everybody," he added.

"Somebody said to me after he died –and he wasn't necessarily that close to him – that it wasn't that people loved Bobby, it was that they were in love with him. That was the difficulty. Everybody was in love with him."

Bobby's partner, Teresa Clarke, said the past year has been "difficult and challenging" and she thanked family and friends and also "the republican family" for their messages of support.

"Bobby was so loved for his caring and giving nature, especially when it came to his family and 12 grandchildren, who knew that when they saw him they were in for a treat, whether it was a storytelling or, even better, a trip to Smyth's toy store," she said.

"They miss him so much.

"Bobby was everything and meant a lot to me. We had a very happy life together and he's missed so much, and I miss him so much. So on behalf of the entire family circle I want to thank you all for your continued support".

Former Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams credited much of the party's recent electoral success to Bobby and hailed him as "a political strategist and political leader".

"Bob believed in dialogue, he believed in trying to understand where other people are coming from, and he's convinced and was convinced that we will achieve the referendum on unity provided by the Good Friday Agreement," he said.

"He would've worked hard, every minute of every day, to make sure that we win that referendum. That's part of his legacy."