The book, said Ruair∅ Quinn when he launched Alex Findlater's, Findlaters: The Story of a Dublin Merchant Family 1774-2001 in the vaults under Harcourt Street station last week, was not just the story of the Dublin merchant class but of the contribution that southern unionism had made to the state. "We have been too shy, and impoverished as a result, to recognise this contribution. Until recent times it could not be spoken about." The Labour leader said his late father Malachy Quinn, from a different tradition in south Co Down, would be surprised to see him standing in such a place, but he might say something had been achieved towards Tone's ideal.
Quinn said he first met Findlater three and a half years ago in bizarre circumstances in Connemara. It was a fun cycle - a tour de bog - and Findlater was dressed in a harlequin costume and riding a messenger bike. It was all rather different from Brendan Behan's definition of the Anglo Irish - a Protestant on a horse. Findlater was not at all Anglo Irish but very entrepreneurial; the family had come from Scotland and enriched the city over generations.
The author said many of his snootier friends wondered why the Labour leader was chosen to do the honours. Because "he is a very good friend; he likes Roundstone; he is an imbiber of wine; he is the son of a grocer and we grocers stick together; he is a brother of Lochlann who is on the board; he is a cousin of Feargal and he is a customer of Findlaters. He made a great speech at the ardfheis and he wants and deserves your votes. As southern unionists we were slightly left of centre and had a strong social conscience."
In this atmosphere of mutual admiration Quinn announced that Findlater had given "a very generous donation" to the Alice Leahy Trust. He had heard her speak at the Labour Party conference.