Gerry Bracken:Gerry Bracken, an agriculturalist and gifted archaeologist, has died aged 75.
He led an eclectic and adventurous life, with passions ranging from his work to vintage cars to old radios, and from sailing to piloting his own light aircraft.
Through flying he developed an interest in archaeology. One of the first ancient centres he investigated was Rathcroghan, Co Roscommon, recognised as one of the royal sites of Ireland.
The curious bumps and undulations of the landscape from a height of several thousand feet intrigued him and he resolved to investigate the site further.
For many years Gerry's small plane was a familiar sight as he criss-crossed rural Ireland taking aerial shots of prehistoric places.
"When you fly over the countryside, especially in winter, you see details in the landscape that are invisible at ground level," he once enthused.
Originally from Co Kerry, Gerry studied agriculture at UCD before taking up employment as an animal nutrition expert with the Keenan Group in Bagenalstown, Co Carlow. Later he worked for grassmeal producers Provincial Crop Driers.
His experience stood him in good stead when, accompanied by Ann (Burgess), his wife, and their two youngest children, he moved to Zambia in 1966. He was involved in efforts to make silage from maize there. He bought an aircraft because of the huge distances involved in travelling on the African continent.
By the time the family returned home to Ireland, the Bracken brood had multiplied to five. Gerry was anxious for his children to go through the Irish school system. As well as the family possessions he made sure that his beloved aircraft was crated back to Ireland.
He became assistant manager of the Western Farming Co-op (otherwise known as Balla Mart) in Co Mayo in 1972, later becoming manager.
As an archaeologist, he visited monastic islands off the west coast, making wonderful plaster casts of the various crosses he found there.
According to fellow archaeologists, perhaps his greatest project was his study of the "rolling sun" spectacle at Bohea, near Westport. Having spent several years observing sunrises and sunsets without success, he finally struck gold on August 24th, 1990, when the setting sun appeared to roll down the side of Croagh Patrick before slipping out of sight behind a ridge.
The spectacular event, when the angle of the sun's descent reflects the angle in the mountainside, happens twice yearly and attracts large crowds whenever weather conditions allow the phenomenon to be witnessed.
Over the years, apart from travelling widely to places such as Egypt, he contributed scholarly articles to journals and lectured extensively.
He also became a familiar figure on the island of Islay, off Scotland, where the archaeology fascinated him and the locals treated him as one of their own.
Before moving to Murrisk, in the shadow of his beloved and inspirational Croagh Patrick, Gerry and Ann ran a popular hostel for a time in Westport where guests marvelled at his knowledge and erudition. He was also involved in the organisation of the Covey (true Westport natives) Festival.
It was his greatest regret, following a recent bypass, that he could fly no longer. Nevertheless his enthusiasm for life remained undiminished. Only days prior to his sudden death he had been making plans for a return trip to Scotland.
He will be missed by family and friends alike for his company, his charm, his boyish enthusiasm and zest for living.
Gerry lived in recent years at Murrisk, near Westport.
His wife Ann and 10 children, Roland, Sunniva, Garret, Lucy, Aoife, Nicola, Felicity, Dorothy, Emily, Martha, as well as nine grandchildren, survive him.
Gerry Bracken: born June 5th, 1932; died December 6th, 2007