May, Ireland's Kenny discuss 'seriousness' of Northern Ireland political crisis

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May leaves Downing Street in London, Britain January 11, 2017. REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth

LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May and her Irish counterpart Enda Kenny recognised the difficulties and seriousness of the situation in Northern Ireland during a phone call on the political crisis there, May's office said on Wednesday.

After years of bitter compromises, Northern Ireland's power-sharing government collapsed this week with the resignation of Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, exposing lingering distrust between Catholic Irish nationalists and pro-British Protestant unionists.