Paying our respects.

Short trip to Ireland, sadly, to pay our respects to an amazing man, a family member, Jerry Quinn. In his death, we appreciated how big a man he had been in his life. His Guard of Honour stretched the full length of the road in which he had lived as the whole population of Hilltown turned out to pay their respects. Shops closed, cars engines muted, heads bowed, a sea of black. The world stood silent.

His son recited a powerful eulogy bringing men to tears, all having empathy with his final words, "...we shall never see his likes again."

I woke this morning to a view of The Mountains of Mourne. It was not lost on me the irony of their greatness versus the literality of their name, for today, we would all mourn the passing of a great man.