George 'was the quiet boy'

Tony French received news of his cousin's death early yesterday. "My son called me from London and I went immediately to turn on the television news. And there it was, that George had died."

Mr French said he never met George but he had a photograph of him "aged about six" on the beach at Portrane with his mother, Louise. He said Harrison had been to Ireland a number of times and on several family holidays, but "he had more contact with my cousins in Drumcondra, who have all passed on".

He said his grandfather was Harrison's grandfather's brother, Mr John French, who emigrated to Liverpool in 1870 and joined the city's police force.

The Beatles Ireland fan club is inviting fans to sign its on-line book of condolences which it will pass on to the Harrison family. Peter Brennan, the club's founder and said George Harrison's death was like "losing a member of the family."

"It's a sad day for us all and a big shock. I think of the very happy times, like two years ago when the club organised a Magical Mystery Tour and we visited George Harrison's ancestral home in Wexford."

Mr Harry Lush, who was manager of the Adelphi Cinema in Dublin in 1963 when the Beatles played their only Irish concert, said they were "very, very polite". On RT╔ Radio's Liveline programme he said George "was the quiet boy. He was the musician amongst them. Later on he became the best man of the lot of them."

The packed afternoon concert in the 2,304-seat cinema "spilled on and spilled on and it came near to half-past seven. And the other crowd was coming in ... and there was absolute chaos when the two crowds met. Cars were overturned, cars were set on fire. It was absolute chaos," Mr Lush recalled.

Beatles Ireland meets once a month in Blooms Hotel in Dublin. Messages of condolence can be sent via e-mail to beatlesireland@iol.com.