Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate the opportunity to remember Peter. I first met him outside the Mansion House in 2010 or early 2011 at the launch of the Fine Gael candidates. I remember it well because Peter, as many, including the Taoiseach, said, spent a lot of time on the "Vincent Browne Show". I had watched him and he gave me a few tips and pointers. I was seven years a councillor at that stage. Peter had no experience in public life but he nonetheless had his views and made them well known. I remember quite a lot of his advice, which turned out to be completely accurate. Like so many, he sent an awful lot of text messages. One of the things I remember fondly was the snippets from the Financial Timesthat he used to photocopy, or rather Colm from his office would photocopy, and he would hand them out to various people at parliamentary party meetings, on the corridor or wherever one might bump into him.

More often than not they were referencing the financial crisis and all the other issues that we were beset with at the time.

My fondest memory of Peter, one I want to put on the record, is from the Fine Gael parliamentary party think-in back in Mayo in 2012. We were set an unofficial challenge, which we all took up nonetheless. It was to go up Croagh Patrick at the end of our think-in. Off we set on what was a beautiful day. Peter was in khaki pants, a short-sleeved T-shirt and a summer hat. I remember it well because I have a photograph from the day in my office. Off he took up Croagh Patrick with the rest of us. Of course I was more sensibly dressed in jeans and desert boots. There was a big group of us. Peter paired off with the then Deputy and now Senator Joe O'Reilly. More illustrious members ran up and then ran down. They have no names but we all know Eoghan well. We got to the top. On our way down we met Peter and Joe. They were still on their way and still determined. The weather was closing in with mist, rain and all manner of different horrible weather that the Atlantic can throw at people. We got down to the car park. I think we might have had a beverage or two in the local pub. We were ferried back to Westport.

Then we were all sitting at dinner. I remember it distinctly. There was a little disquiet because Peter and Joe were still up the mountain. We were concerned, so much so that all of the Ministers and members stayed at the table. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan and I decided that we had better go back and check on them because they were not answering their telephones. I was concerned to think of Peter and Joe up the mountain on their own in the weather and the dark. Anyway, Patrick and I got to the car park at the foot of the reek. Off we went up to try to find them. Out in the distance we could hear voices. Lo and behold there was Peter and Joe coming down to the car park. I said to them that they had not answered their telephones and that we were getting worried. They said they were okay. At the time Peter would have been 60 years of age and Joe was 56 or 57. Peter turned to me and said he was getting a little worried about Joe because he was getting on a bit. Anyway, he survived and we all survived.

It is a great testament to the man he was that we remember him so well not only in these corridors or in Mount Merrion, as Deputy Ryan and the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Madigan, mentioned but everywhere. He was a great man and our memories are testament to that for his family. May he rest in peace.

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