Madam, – Michael Hurley (March 5th) noted the omission of the irascible Finnegan from the tributes to that great purveyor of puppetry, Eugene Lambert. I am pleased to inform him that I have had sightings of Finnegan in the past few years.
I have the pleasure of being a member of the “43” club, all of us aspiring centenarians, and more importantly, enjoying all things musical.
Each year we hold a charity night and at the behest of his great friend and our esteemed past president, Dermot Doolan, the late Eugene would generously bring along Finnegan and give a polished professional performance. He would finish by closing the suitcase and putting him by for another year.
Alas, 2009 was his last performance, it could now be described as Finnegans Wake and with it will die the secret of the mystery of the closing act, when Eugene and Finnegan sang that final duet. – Yours, etc,