Garry's sudden death in March was a tremendous shock to friends and family.
It was a blessing, in retrospect, that he and the family had been together in Oxford some days before, for the happy launch of the first book of poems by his son John. He had hoped to return to Oxford in April for the conferring of John's doctorate but, sadly, this was not to be.
Educated by the Christian Brothers in Synge Street, he joined The Irish Times after he left school. His father, Christopher, had worked on the same newspaper as a journalist and sometime music critic. While pursuing journalism during the day, Garry (or "Gar") studied law by night in Trinity College, and was called to the Bar in 1949.
He became a sports journalist and during his career worked for the Irish Independent (sub-editor), the Irish Press (sports editor), and the Observer (Irish sports editor).
His long association with RT╔ began with the setting-up of the television station, when he was its information officer. He became editor of the RT╔ Guide (personally preparing the pasted-up format of the first issue), a position he held until his retirement. A meticulous book reviewer and merciless editor, given half a chance he would "sub your copy" (that is, edit your writing), returning it with numerous, useful amendments (a habit which, even in retirement, he practiced on the daily newspapers). His exasperation knew no bounds when he uncovered a hanging nominative, a tired clichΘ or a non sequitur.
Such formal exactitude derived in large measure from his familiarity with the structure of Latin, supplemented by his wide reading of, and scholarly approach to, Irish and English. Blessed with an encyclopaedic memory and elegant turn of phrase, he was a brilliant and amusing after-dinner speaker.
His cultural tastes were catholic, as caught by this brief, witty self-portait: "Assoc. Member of the Society for the Resuscitation of Defunct or Neglected Positives. Paid last bill in Jammet's. Interests: rugby, Connemara, Beethoven, social history, pints (occasionally) and the art of deficit financing in various branches of the Hibernian of decent memory."
He also loved his native Dublin, describing himself a "jarler" - one whose family has lived in the city for six generations - and he had detailed anecdotes of his 1930s childhood in Ranelagh. He enjoyed Dublin life, from the post-match pint in the clubhouse of Lansdowne, to the Dalkey Island Swim (where, as he liked to tell people, he once won a prize for being "longest in the water"). Although he would joke that even after 30 years in Dalkey, he was still considered "a blow-in", many there remarked he was so much a part of the village that it will never be the same without him.
He was an expert on rugby and would often refer to memorable moments which he had reported - a particular favourite was the famous "barbed-wire" try scored by Mike Gibson on his debut at Twickenham in 1964. A long-standing and faithful member (or "allickadoo" in old rugby slang) of Lansdowne Rugby Club since 1939, he was the compiler of the club history and often contributed notes to the programmes for Ireland's international games.
Kind, courteous and caring, he was also quietly - but deeply - religious. The least snobbish of men, Garry had time for everyone. He was a lover, too, of the countryside - of Wexford, Wicklow, Kerry, the Aran Islands and above all of his beloved Cill Chiarβin in Connemara. There he was a frequent and much-esteemed visitor, immersing himself in the local language and culture, helping neighbours bring in the hay, and cultivating potatoes in his own lazybeds.
He is survived by his much loved wife, Annette, and his two sons, John and Nicholas, of whose academic and career achievements he was justly proud. He will be missed by a wide circle of friends and neighbours.
"N∅ bheidh a lethe∅d ar∅s ann."
P.P.