More tributes paid to columnist who 'fused art with science'

Further tributes were paid yesterday to the meteorologist and Irish Timescolumnist Brendan McWilliams, who died earlier this week.

Minister for the Environment John Gormley described Mr McWilliams as one of Ireland's most "effective and passionate communicators about weather and the environment".

He said Mr McWilliams was "an extremely important voice" on the issue of climate change - a subject he wrote about regularly in this newspaper.

Mr Gormley added: "In his Weather Eye column and through his broadcasts, Brendan was able to speak about complex issues in a way we could understand and appreciate.

"When somebody of his background, expertise and knowledge spoke in such an understandable and commonsense way, people listened.

"He was able to tell people why it was happening, why the issue was important, and why and what we should do about it."

RTÉ presenter Pat Kenny said Mr McWilliams, who had a regular Tuesday slot on the Today with Pat Kennyprogramme, said he had always looked forward to having him as a guest on the show.

"He made the subject of the weather a fascinating and, more importantly, an accessible one. He fused art with science, and his ability to do this was a testament to both his imagination and creativity," Mr Kenny said.

Met Éireann forecaster Gerald Fleming described Mr McWilliams as a "renaissance man" with a wide range of interests. "He read voraciously. Weather is so fundamental to human existence. Brendan had that broader vision of seeing how weather and society and people interacted over the century and how central it was to so much in history and literature."

Tributes were also paid by the European Meteorological Satellite Organisation, based in Germany, where Mr McWilliams worked until his retirement in 2004. On its website the organisation described him as a "great scientist, writer, colleague and friend".

The Irish Timeshas also received many letters from readers, some of which are published today. Mr McWilliams's removal takes place from Mulligan's funeral home, the Faythe, Wexford, at 7pm today to the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Rowe Street, Wexford. His funeral is at noon tomorrow.