Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I remember we were at the great Washington conference in 1996, which all Border Deputies and politicians from the North attended. We were guests of President Clinton. Ted and I went to Boston to see some Irish people and for the first time ever, I became aware of my age. We arrived in Boston before the hotel rooms were ready and the lady in the hotel said we had to wait for a few hours but we could not decide what would we do early in the morning. There were leaflets about a tour of Boston on the desk with two prices, €18 and €12. Remember this was 1996, almost 20 years ago. I asked what the difference was between the two prices. The lady said there was no difference except that the €12 price was for senior citizens. Ted said we would have two of those. Whatever about Ted's age, I felt my age that day.

He was a great friend and raconteur. He worked in the Government Information Service from 1973 to 1977 and there are many stories about that era which have not yet been told. Not only was Ted a colleague but he was a friend. I had the privilege and pleasure of visiting his home in Sligo on numerous occasions where I was entertained with warmth and hospitality by Jo, Fergal and Louise, who unfortunately is not with us today as she is in Australia. I would like to extend my condolences and sympathy to the entire family. He was a great man, a pioneer, in many respects, and a versatile man.

Mar a dúirt Tomás Ó Criomhthain ins an leabhar dadó An tOileánach, "Ní bheidh a leithéid arís ann". Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

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