Sean Barrett (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Needless to say, I echo everything that has been said by Senator Bacik, by the Leader of the House and by Senator Mooney. We are paying tribute to a remarkable man today. The task endures, the work goes on. Earlier this morning, we sent our condolences to Stewart Dickson, MLA, of the Alliance Party, whose office in Carrickfergus was burnt last night. A representative of the Orange Order addressed this House not long ago. A joint meeting of the North-South Inter-Parliamentary Association took place in the Seanad Chamber some weeks ago. It was jointly chaired by Willie Hay and the Ceann Comhairle. We are working for the Ireland that Trevor worked so hard to achieve.

Trevor West came here over 30 years ago as Mary Robinson's election agent. Decades of service followed. Next Tuesday, we celebrate the 90th anniversary of this House. It arose from a meeting in London the previous month. Those representing the Irish Unionist side sought the establishment of a Senate with Arthur Griffith and President de Valera. They included the provost of Trinity College, Lord Midleton and Andrew Jameson, the well-known distiller. They must have intended that Trevor would be a Senator because he was from Midleton, he was a fellow of Trinity College and his family was in the malting business supplying the vital ingredients to the Jameson family to make Irish whiskey. He was pre-destined to be a Member of the House that was so well-designed by those people 90 years ago. One might say that Trevor was also geographically destined to have such a wonderful career. He came from near Cloyne, which is famous for Bishop Berkeley in an academic sense and for Christy Ring in a sporting sense. It was pre-planned that Trevor would distinguish himself on so many fields of endeavour.

His career brought him to Cambridge, UCLA, Glasgow and Trinity College, where he was most at home, as Senator Bacik said. That is where his heart was. His goal was that the minority communities in this State should play their full role in our political life. He was a wonderful example in that regard. He also believed that those communities should reach out to their separated brethren in Northern Ireland. That was accomplished by going to see Gusty Spence. He even persuaded him to take Irish lessons when he was in Long Kesh. Trevor was always thinking of this country as a united island in people's hearts and minds, rather than in terms of lines on maps. He is remembered here in a photograph of the Oireachtas football team, which took on England on 10 June 1978. Given that he is holding the football in the photograph, it is definite that West was the captain on the day. The other footballers in the photograph include Bertie Ahern and the current Taoiseach, Deputy Enda Kenny. They can be seen rallying around the captain as they prepare to take on the Saxons.

Trevor West's notable work on Horace Plunkett was mentioned by Senator Mooney. Horace Plunkett, who was a Member of the First Seanad, founded the co-operative movement. That got him into trouble with many people in the Irish Parliamentary Party because the co-operative movement took business away from the merchant class which dominated that party. Horace Plunkett's Unionist friends did not like him much either because he participated in many events with Nationalists. Trevor West used to tell the story about someone who told Horace Plunkett that it was time to give it all up, and let sleeping dogs lie, because he was equally disliked by Nationalists and Unionists. Horace Plunkett replied by saying he would not let lying dogs sleep, which was a phrase that Trevor liked to use in his political career.

Trevor West's sporting endeavours were described so well by Senator Mooney that there is no need to add much to what has been said. I remember the great day in 1984 when the former Taoiseach, Jack Lynch, came to College Park to plant an ash tree in commemoration of the centenary of the GAA. We reminded him of famous Trinity hurlers like Edward Carson. They had different political careers but were both dedicated to the clash of the ash. Tony O'Reilly once said that Trevor West's contribution to sport was so great that he was the only man in Ireland to have two rugby stands named after him - the Upper West Stand and the Lower West Stand.

In the words of the hymn chosen by Trevor West's family and friends to commemorate him tomorrow, he was the "captain in the well-fought fight". He displayed his steel in his defence of College Park, which was mentioned by Senator Bacik. Some other bureaucrats - he regarded them as his enemies and called them the "forces of darkness" - wanted to amalgamate certain schools in the Cork area. As I recall it, Bandon Grammar School and Midleton College were to disappear into a large school in Cork. Given that Midleton College is still there, we can take it that Trevor fought the well-fought fight in that instance. He maintained an interest in Midleton College right up until September of this year, when the Minister, Deputy Quinn, went to see him when a new science and technology wing was being opened.

Trevor West's last visit to this Chamber was on 15 December 2011, when the Cathaoirleach most graciously welcomed him here. He came back for a final farewell on 15 June last.

He hugely valued this House and all of the people in it. To him, it was a noble place and an enriching experience.

On a further sporting note, an amazing collection of people from Trinity College seemed almost every year to come back with the Sam Maguire. We would not be famous in that field but that was the case with Joe Brolly, Pat Gilroy last year, Tommy Drumm, Alan Kerins and Frank Foley. Those were wonderful occasions when Ireland's most famous trophy was brought into the Dining Hall and everybody enjoyed it so much.

Were he here today, he would have been helping the Minister of State, Deputy Seán Sherlock, on the reform of mathematics. He took, I believe, a dismissive view of the new maths and attempts to modernise the subject but he certainly would have assisted in that important national endeavour.

The tributes have been paid in a full St. Finbarr's Cathedral in Cork by Bishop Paul Colton, when the President and Taoiseach sent their aides-de-camp. The former Tánaiste, Mr. Peter Barry, was probably the most senior Member of the Oireachtas present. Tomorrow, his colleagues will say farewell to him in college chapel. Irish public life, education, sport and North-South relations have gained much from the dedication of a noble man. He has left us a very fine example and enriched the lives of many. He has earned his heavenly reward. Go raibh maith agat.