A
friend of mine, Terence, was buried today. My wife, my two youngest children,
and I attended the funeral. We were all close to Terence, who is survived by
his wife, two children, one grandchild, and several siblings, who also have
children. Terence was a sincere friend, a highly educated man, who spoke
several languages, including Irish and Biblical Hebrew. He was born circa 1943.
Until he retired, he was the head of the examinations office at University
College Dublin (“UCD”). His grandfather was the first Irish ambassador to
Spain. At his funeral, I met the local aristocracy. I met a granddaughter of
Eamon de Valera. Her mother died when she was four, and she was raised by her grandparents.
I also met a granddaughter Sean T O’Kelly. This is sort of like meeting a grandchild
of President Washington or President Van Buren. My children went to a primary
school here in Ireland. That school’s retired principal, from around the time
my children attended, was also at the funeral. He is a Manx speaker, and would
be visiting the Isle of Man in consequence of the death of a friend there. Who
knew?
Seth Barrett Tillman, ‘A Death in Ireland,’ New Reform Club (July 9, 2026, 5:26 PM), <https://reformclub.blogspot.com/2026/07/a-death-in-ireland.html>;
