TRIBUTES have been paid to civil rights champion Patricia 'Pat' McLaughlin.
Pat (née Barry) passed away at home surrounded by her loving family on Saturday (August 19).
Pat was the wife of the late Basil McLaughlin, who passed away in January 2010.
Basil was one of the founders of the Andersonstown News in 1972, immediately becoming staff photographer and a driving force of the paper.
What was at first a community newssheet run by the Andersonstown Civil Resistance Committee soon became a fully-fledged newspaper and Pat and Basil were central to its success.
Fellow Andersonstown News founder Seán Mac Seáin says Pat and Basil were a "great asset" to the West Belfast community.
"Pat went around with Basil everywhere," he recalled.
"She was very important in helping spread the word about what was going on in areas in West Belfast.
"The fact that they were a husband and wife team was a great asset.
"Pat and Basil were part of an important group of people at the start of the Troubles with the Andersonstown Civil Resistance Committee.
"When Basil helped found the paper, he worked as a photographer. Pat would have gone round with him taking names and stuff like that.
"In her life, Pat worked as a civil servant. I think she might have been an air hostess at one stage too.
"She was a very tall and good looking woman. She was very well spoken. Pat was part of our crowd, as the saying goes.
"Basil was a great loss and now we see the passing of his wife Pat. It's very sad."
Funeral arrangements to follow.
