Editing Ian Paisley (section)

==Final years and death (2010–14)==
In November 2011, Paisley announced to his congregation, which he had led for over 60 years, that he would retire as minister.<ref name="guardian_retire"/> He delivered his final sermon to a packed attendance at the Martyrs' Memorial Hall on 18 December 2011,<ref>{{cite news|last=McNeilly|first=Claire|title=Paisley steps down from pulpit after 60 years of preaching|url=http://www.independent.ie/national-news/paisley-steps-down-from-pulpit-after-60-years-of-preaching-2967310.html|access-date=21 December 2011|newspaper=Irish Independent|date=19 December 2011|archive-date=22 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210922232404/https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/paisley-steps-down-from-pulpit-after-60-years-of-preaching-26803518.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and finally retired from his religious ministry at the age of 85, on 27 January 2012.<ref name="guardian_retire">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2011/nov/14/ian-paisley-retires-from-ministry |title=Ian Paisley retires from ministry |first=Henry |last=McDonald |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=14 November 2011 |location=London |issn=0261-3077 |oclc=60623878 |access-date=28 January 2012 |archive-date=1 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131001062450/http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2011/nov/14/ian-paisley-retires-from-ministry |url-status=live }}</ref>

In February 2012, Paisley was admitted to hospital with heart problems. Jim Flanagan, editor of the ''Ballymena Guardian'', who spoke to close family friends, said that Paisley had been able to communicate "to some degree" with family members.<ref name="BBC News">{{cite news|title=Ian Paisley able to communicate 'to some degree'|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-16911310|work=BBC News|access-date=29 August 2012|date=7 February 2012|archive-date=12 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121112150347/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-16911310|url-status=live}}</ref> A year before, he had had a [[pacemaker]] fitted due to [[cardiac arrhythmia]], during his time in the House of Lords.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland/16911310|title=Ian Paisley admitted to Ulster hospital|date=6 February 2012|work=BBC News|access-date=7 February 2012|archive-date=4 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904094905/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland/16911310|url-status=live}}</ref> In late December 2013, Paisley was once again taken to hospital for "necessary tests".  Ian Paisley Jr. emphasised that they were routine.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-25541275 | work=BBC News | title=Ian Paisley in hospital for tests | date=29 December 2013 | access-date=21 June 2018 | archive-date=6 September 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906112540/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-25541275 | url-status=live }}</ref>

Paisley died in Belfast on 12 September 2014, aged 88.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Shapiro|first1=T. Rees|title=Ian Paisley dies; Northern Ireland leader known for anti-Catholic rhetoric|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/ian-paisley-dies-northern-ireland-leader-known-for-anti-catholic-rhetoric/2014/09/12/d02a04ee-5d72-11e1-a729-976314dc4592_story.html|access-date=12 September 2014|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=12 September 2014|archive-date=12 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140912213109/http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/ian-paisley-dies-northern-ireland-leader-known-for-anti-catholic-rhetoric/2014/09/12/d02a04ee-5d72-11e1-a729-976314dc4592_story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> His body was buried at [[Ballygowan]], in [[County Down]] on 15 September following a private funeral,<ref>{{cite news|title=Paisley's critics are 'pygmies in his shadow', son says|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/paisley-s-critics-are-pygmies-in-his-shadow-son-says-1.1930620|access-date=16 September 2014|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=16 September 2014|archive-date=17 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140917111359/http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/paisley-s-critics-are-pygmies-in-his-shadow-son-says-1.1930620|url-status=live}}</ref> and a public memorial for 830 invited guests<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hundreds attend memorial service for Ian Paisley |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/hundreds-attend-memorial-service-for-ian-paisley-30675980.html |access-date=2023-01-24 |website=independent |date=19 October 2014 |language=en}}</ref> was held in the [[Ulster Hall]] on 19 October 2014.<ref>{{cite news|title=Ian Paisley: Former NI leader 'cast influential shadow'|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-29682589|access-date=3 November 2014|work=[[BBC News]]|date=19 October 2014|archive-date=28 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141028212457/http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-29682589|url-status=live}}</ref> A ''[[New York Times]]'' obituary reported that late in life Paisley had moderated and softened his stances against Roman Catholics but that "the legacies of fighting and religious hatreds remained."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/13/world/europe/ian-paisley-northern-ireland-leader-dies.html|title=Ian Paisley, Ulster Hard-Liner Who Made Peace, Dies at 88|newspaper=The New York Times|date=12 September 2014|access-date=12 September 2014|archive-date=12 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140912154033/http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/13/world/europe/ian-paisley-northern-ireland-leader-dies.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Paisley grave Ballygowan 2.jpg|thumb|Paisley grave at Free Presbyterian Church, Ballygowan, Co. Down]]