It was with great sadness that I lost my friend, Tom Quinn, on a very memorable day, the first of the new millennium. Although he had been ailing for some time and his passing was expected, the blow to his family was no less devastating. This took place in St Vincent's Hospital, Elm Park, Tom's old hospital.
Tom was born as the youngest son to Mr and Mrs James Quinn of Castle Carra, Co Mayo, and was nephew to Sir Patrick Quinn. Tom came to UCD and qualified in 1948. Having been a student of the old St Vincent's Hospital, he later fulfilled the roles of house surgeon and house physician in "Vincent's" before going to the UK to take up various hospital appointments and widen his experience. He entered occupational medicine when this discipline was in its infancy and helped greatly to improve and widen it. This led to his becoming consulting medical advisor to a large group of some 30 companies scattered throughout the UK and subsequently to fellowship of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine of the Royal College of Physicians in both England and Ireland.
This challenge was met with Tom's ever-clever organising skills and the clinics were given a smooth, sophisticated finish with the appointment of appropriate staff. He also enjoyed a large medical practice based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, where he and Joan lived in the elegant Russell House.
Growing up on the shores of Lough Carra, the Quinns had every opportunity to engage in local sports. The shooting was good and much enjoyed by Tom, who later became a welcome guest and contributed his fair share to the bag in English "shoots", particularly at Kimpton Hoo in Hertfordshire.
Tom's greatest interests were, of course, his family and medicine, but apart from those he enjoyed rugby, soccer and, above all, racing both in Ireland and England. Music was savoured and not one indifferent semi-quaver could slip by the keen ear without being noticed. The classics extended to the ancient ones and he would often ask: "What is the origin of that word?"
Tom and Joan lived busy, gracious lives in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, but never lost touch with Ireland, where their children were educated.
Tom's great sense of humour and fun was never suppressed by his protracted illness. His last Mass was celebrated in University Church, St Stephen's Green, to which came his large circle of relatives and friends. Interment took place in a country churchyard at Enniskerry, by Tom's own choice. He is survived by his wife, Joan; his daughter, Geraldine Herbert, and her husband Louis; his son, Dr Roddy Quinn of Sligo, and his wife Colleen; his sisters; and his grandchildren, Kieran, Conor and Caroline.
Requiescat in pace.
W.D.K.