Madam, - I read with sadness of the recent death of Seán Kilfeather. When I began work in the sports department of The Irish Times in the early 1990s, Seán was already a respected and long-established reporter and columnist. In my early, inept days he showed me great kindness and displayed infinite patience.
One memory sticks out. On the Saturday night before the 1992 All- Ireland Final between Donegal and Dublin I was in his company in a bar near the old offices on D'Olier Street with a friend of mine who was visiting from Scotland. When Seán discovered that my friend had never been to a game of Gaelic football, but was curious to see what it was like, he reached discreetly into the inside pocket of his jacket and produced a match ticket for him. "I hope," he said, " that you enjoy it as much as we all will."
Sixteen years later that same friend will be with me at Croke Park again next weekend, this time to support Tyrone against Kerry. Seán, and his act of selfless generosity all those years ago, will be in our thoughts. - Yours, etc,
DESMOND FAHY,
Ravensdene Park Gardens,
Belfast.