Aengus, a metric Tribute, valued friend,
P.S. to Tributes lately, greatly, penned:-
'Twere empty compliment, with you now gone,
If your heroic work did not live on.
Some saw you as a reborn warrior Viking,
Which phrase [I've used it too!] excites my liking;
But I'll expand to:- Moral-Force Crusader,
A FOLLOW PATHS OF TOLERANCE PERSUADER;
Opponent of the comfortable error
Of giving comfort to the props of terror;
A moral Titan, generous, unafraid
To face subversive force of either shade;
True Patriot, whose independent stand
Gave heart to many fearful for this land.
While other 'organs', quaking at their knees,
Had as their Watchword/Policy: APPEASE;
You, ever watchful, on your guard, defiant,
Despised those comfort-givers, timid, pliant.
"Good soldier in [ here Heine comes to mind]
The War of Liberation of Mankind", *
Although your earthly innings now is finished,
Oh, may your Moral Power rest undiminished!
Morgan Dockrell, January 25, 2012
*"Aber ein Schwert sollt Ihr mir auf dem Sarg legen:
denn ich war ein braver Soldat im Befreiungskriege der Menschheit."
[You should lay a sword on my coffin, for I was a good soldier in the War of Liberation of Mankind]
NOTE: A Tribute to Aengus Fanning , Editor of The Sunday Independent for the past 28 years, is not out of place on the Dalkey Archives website, for he was well disposed towards Taverners' Cricket. He was a passionate cricket enthusiast, exceptionally well read on the game,
ran his own Sunday Independent team and made regular visits to Lord's. In his office he had memorabilia of Lord's and Gaelic Football teams, at which sport he had been a youthful star. For me he was an ideal Irishman, one who embraced both sporting traditions on this island, refusing to be bullied by bans. A fearless Editor, he contributed greatly to the breaking down of barriers. He indeed did the State great service, not just some.
These verses, with some subsequent improvements [ie. in the Heine reference] appeared in The Sunday Independent of 29.January 2012. I was indeed proud to have joined those who had 'lately, greatly, penned' their Tributes to this courageous man.
From the Address of Anne Harris, his widow, at the Funeral Service of Aengus Fanning:-
He had only one Editorial Agenda and that was never to give comfort to terrorists - because of his passion for history, he saw terrorism as the chameleon with the power to re-invent itself with a smiling face in cunning places. And he never weakened or wavered Editorially.