He may have got the belt of a few croziers, but Patsy McGarry looks fighting fit. This newspaper's religious affairs correspondent launched his second book in two months at Newman House on St Stephen's Green earlier this week.
The Book of Jesus Reports is dedicated to his mother, Teresa (Teenie) McGarry, and Molly Forde, his first schoolteacher. They were both at the reception, which attracted a large group of well-wishers, colleagues and friends.
"He's got a few belts of croziers, but he's always stood over his stories and been proved right," said Conor Brady, editor of The Irish Times, who launched the book. He also paid tribute to McGarry's "capacities as a news reporter in one of the most difficult areas, religious affairs".
Molly Forde, who taught McGarry for six years at a one-teacher school, Mullan National in Co Roscommon, said he was never bold or disobedient. Surely there must have been one occasion, we ask hopefully. "He was an excellent student, not bold but gentle and kind, a great worker and he was always top of the class." (Ah, now. Talk about a teacher's pet, Patsy.)
Spotted at the launch was playwright Bernard Farrell, who has just completed his latest play and handed it in for production by the Abbey in March. It's called Lovers at Versailles and will be directed by Mark Lambert. As for the Jesus Reports, Farrell loved the column and cut it out every week for his in-laws in England.
Father Sean Fagan SM, a teacher of moral theology at Milltown Institute, also loved it "absolutely" because "it cuts out the magic and takes us to the reality . . . and the humanity of Jesus", he said. Other fans included Father Charlie Davy SJ, Carmel Shanahan, who comes from Clogher Head in Co Louth, and Joan Ardiff, one of the book's printers. When all the mince pies were eaten, the saloon in Newman House emptied.