'Biggest fan' of Central Statistics Office

FAMILY MEMORIES:THE LATE Dr Garret FitzGerald was the Central Statistics Office's "biggest fan", one of his sons told mourners at the funeral Mass in the Sacred Heart Church in Donnybrook yesterday.

John FitzGerald, research professor with the Economic and Social Research Institute, spoke along with his brother and sister at the conclusion of the funeral Mass.

“Thanks to the director and staff of the Central Statistics Office. For over a half a century you have enthralled our father and provided so much to stimulate him. He was your biggest fan and he probably also drove you mad,” Prof FitzGerald said.

Dr FitzGerald’s only daughter, Mary, stressed the example set by the former taoiseach in both his private and public life. “We want to thank our beloved father himself for all his love and companionship and for teaching us so much, showing by example how to be a good citizen, a good friend and a good parent,” she said.

Mark Fitzgerald provoked laughter among the many mourners when he said his father was “the one and only person” to ever get on to a Ryanair flight without photographic identification. Dr FitzGerald had recently told some of his younger granddaughters why their late grandmother, Joan, had a fear of flying, Mr FitzGerald said. “Perhaps it was the fact that when he was in Aer Lingus, he read the ‘near miss’ reports in bed.”

Mr FitzGerald also praised his late father for his pancake-making and sandcastle-building abilities. Mr FitzGerald said his father had asked for the latest exchequer figures “while dealing with respiratory failure”.

He said his sister had been supported in looking after their father by good medical care, which made a huge difference to the length and quality of his life. He paid tribute to the late Maurice Neligan and many other medical professionals. “As a family we are overwhelmed by the goodness, the goodwill, of so many over the last few days.”