John Mallon - in memoriam

John Mallon’s funeral took place in Cork yesterday.

I couldn’t go, unfortunately, but a colleague went and I watched the requiem mass online.

An interesting part of the service was when John’s son and daughter presented “symbols of John’s life”. They included his laptop computer, a family photo, a replica football shirt, a book, and some mince pies.

His daughter Michelle explained that the laptop represented his “thirst for knowledge and his love of world affairs, history, and politics”.

The other items represented his love of family, sport, reading, and his “sweet tooth”.

I also learned a few things I didn’t know.

I knew John was a sales executive for Apple in the Nineties (before the iMac and the Apple Store changed everything).

I knew too that he was a videographer for several years.

What I didn’t know is that at various times he also ran a laundrette and sold jewellery - quite the entrepreneur!

What came through most, though, was his love of family which he put above everything, including material possessions or wealth.

Personally, I will miss his sense of humour, and his courage in standing up to the bully state.

A notable ally was award-winning blogger Richard O’Connor (aka ‘Grandad’) who helped John set up his own blog.

According to Richard:

John took to the scribbling lark like a duck to water. Over the years we kept up sporadic correspondence. He would occasionally phone me just for a chat when we would have a grand laugh at life. We shared a common jaundiced view on life in general.

Sadly, we never met, as he lived in Cork, and I didn’t. On several occasions we had some near misses as I travelled to west Cork or he travelled to Dublin but for various reasons that meet never happened.

I’ll miss his gentle Cork accent and his unrepeatable comments on our politicians.

But the final word goes to my colleague Jacqui Delbaere:

I had the joy and privilege of working with John over a number of years in his capacity as Forest Ireland spokesman. I set up radio and TV interviews for his media tours. John was always lovely to work with, up for the ‘craic’, and I will miss our banter and camaraderie. God bless.’

See also: ‘John Mallon RIP’

Below: Jacqui, John, and me on the terrace of the House of Commons in 2011. It may look like it, but we weren’t holding John hostage, honest!