Feargal Quinn (Independent)

I am delighted to be here to have the opportunity to say a few words about my friend, Myles Staunton. We met when Denise and I were on our honeymoon. We met at mass. We were there for two Sundays. We were in the south of Spain in a little village called Torremolinos in 1962. Myles was on holidays there without his girlfriend who was to be his bride two years later. In those days one did not go on holidays with one's girlfriend because it was not the thing to do. One had to wait until one got married before that sort of thing happened.

Denise and I were at mass on the first Sunday and noticed two altar boys made the collection. The following Sunday there were no altar boys and I realised towards the end of mass there would be no collection. The vast majority of people at the mass were Irish; one could hear the voices. I caught Myles's eye and said we should make a collection. I said I would do one side and he should do the other. The first few collections were coins and I turned to Myles and said, "notes only". As we went to each row we said, "notes only". Notes were the equivalent of 5 cent. The two piles of collections were so high that when we handed them to the priest at the end of mass he gave us a big hug.