Sir, – Many years ago (1970), when cars were scarce and I had none, I received a lift from Killarney to Dublin following a National Football League game from Irish Independent reporter and great athlete, Kerryman Tom O’Riordan – father of your excellent athletics reporter Ian.
My fellow passenger was Edmund Van Esbeck. It was a journey of great stories of athletic meetings and rugby encounters in places far and near. What particularly impressed me was that neither of those gentlemen had an unkind word to say of any person they met along their enchanted ways. Their deep love for all sports and all participants shone through.
It may surprise some to know that Van Esbeck reported on some Gaelic games and enjoyed doing so. Forty or more years later, again in Killarney, at a social gathering organised by Jimmy Magee, I once more met Van Esbeck, and he had clear recall of our journey and conversation on that distant Sunday.
It’s little wonder that he could write so beautifully of great tries and heroic tackles at games from Lansdowne Road to Eden Park. May Van Esbeck enjoy eternity in the company of Tom and other great reporters and sportspeople. Solas na bhFlaitheas ar a anam uasal.
RM Block
MICHAEL GLEESON.
Killarney,
Co Kerry.
