A wonderful, unassuming gentleman

I HAVE been asked to say a few words on behalf of the family. First of all I would like to thank you all for coming in such numbers and from so many far-flung places to share in the celebration of a wonderful man and his long and rich life.

Life with Uncle George was always a big adventure. You knew something would happen when you were with him - and it would be fun. He was great company, a brilliant raconteur, who appealed to people of all ages. He was a very joyous man and that wonderful gentle sense of humour affected everyone who met him.

George was the essence of civility - he had impeccable manners. He was always grateful for life itself and celebrated everything to do with it.

In the family we always called him Podge - Uncle Podge. It must have been a nickname from his childhood, because he wasn't particularly pudgy. In fact he was very active. He loved sailing. He loved golf. He loved fishing. At the pool table in the Tavern Bar he was unbeatable in his quiet unassuming way.

Even the seasoned pool sharks in the family were never able to put one over him. On his 80th birthday - the last time we were all together as a family here in Portnoo - he was the one who rowed us out to Doon Island for a celebratory picnic.

He was the one who led the charge to the beach when the extended family collected the mountains of fantastic mussels for the late night barbecue.

He and Deirdre - by keeping an open house at Cliff Cottage - created those rituals of family memory, which still resonate with all of us nephews and nieces and our families - wherever we are in Botswana, England, Italy and Ireland.

Greatest love

George's greatest love was probably sailing and he was an extremely accomplished yachtsman. Sailing with him was always great fun - but he didn't sail to win.

He sailed to have a good time and to test his skills against the elements. Winning races was incidental, it wasn't the point. He often did win of course.

His boat building skills, however, were a bit suspect. Shaun tells a story of how he and a friend built a boat, a Puffin dinghy, in the basement of the Deanery in Derry. Unfortunately the boat was too big to get out the door. And when it eventually floated it proved to be not particularly sea worthy.

Warm stories

There are so many warm stories about Uncle Podge. I still see him sitting in his favourite chair in Cliff Cottage...doing the crossword...rolling the whites of his eyes...and flicking the ash from his pipe into the turn-ups of his trousers. I don't know how he didn't set fire to himself more often.

Maeve tells a story of how he once came to stay with her in London to receive the Freedom of the City. New smoking regulations had just been introduced and while you were allowed to smoke on the platform it was banned on the tubes. Every time Podge boarded the train smoke billowed out of the jacket pocket where he had just deposited the last lit cigarette - for use later.

He fished every summer on Lough Mask. For many years his fishing companion was his old friend the late Desmond Stewart.

Desmond was a retired captain from the Merchant Navy.

One evening while they were having a meal in a local hotel a man came up to them and said: 'I'm very sorry to interrupt but we're trying to settle a bet. We've been told one of you is a retired sea captain and the other is the Dean of Derry - we were wondering which is which.'

He was very inventive. At Cliff Cottage he was able to get a better reception of Sky Sports by changing the position of the satellite dish with an oar. There were marathon Monopoly sessions at Cliff Cottage that ran well into the night - with lots of cheating.

There are lovely photographs of George visiting Owen and Sean and their families in Zimbabwe - always having fun. There is one photo of him as a younger man...for all the world like a film star...with cigarette in mouth at Victoria Falls...standing precariously beyond a sign which read - 'Danger, do not pass this point.'

Serious intelligence

There was, of course, a serious intelligence to George. He had a first class academic mind. He was Dean of Derry for some of the most terrifying years of the Troubles.

On the day of the Apprentice Boys' parade he made a point of always preaching the sermon in the Cathedral - not because he wanted to beat any particular drum but because this was his way of keeping things calm and in perspective...that was typical of him...always searching out the best way forward.

We have many people to thank - and for so many things. The wonderful Barret family, who through all the years have been such good friends and neighbours to George and all of us...his family.

To the nursing staff at Harbour Lights for all they did to make George's final years comfortable and dignified. And especially to my Auntie Deirdre for all she has done.

In the last years she carried all the responsibilities by herself and she has done it with a combination of decency, common sense and practicality that is so typical of herself and of her brother George.

Deirdre has asked me to invite you all to the Tavern Bar after the funeral. It will, I'm sure, be an opportunity to hear many more stories about a very special and inspirational man...George Good...Uncle Podge.