I have many happy memories of my dad, every day and especially on Fathers' day. He was responsible for instilling the love of music in my siblings and I, he was also a wonderful singer, so much so that the neighbours would open their windows just to listen to him. He would sing while shaving and/or making dinner on a Sunday, I can clearly recollect him singing " Nut Brown Maiden, Castle of Dromore, Carrigdun, The West's Awake and many many others. He visited me in Canada years ago and was quite proud when he was able to catch me playing and singing in a folk club. He was a whiz at history and general knowledge and his penmanship was exquisite. His greatest talent was mathematics, he could add, multiply, subtract ,divide vast amounts of figures in his head and was always correct, of course being a bookie he had lots of practice. He never once raised his hand against any of us kids but he was strict when necessary. I am named after him and though he died back in 1979 I still miss him dearly. My eyes are tearing up as I write this. Gotta go.