Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The very first sitting of the Seanad in 1987 was in the Dáil Chamber. I do not know what the reason for that was. I made my first and last speech in the Dáil Chamber on that Single European Act.

Brian Friel also voted on the video recordings Bill, in which he presumably had a particular interest. He voted for the last time on Fifth Stage of the Single European Act. While his appearances in the House were rare, he made an impact and took a keen interest in various pieces of legislation that were going through the House, as evidenced by the wide range of votes in which he participated during his two year period in the Seanad.

It is very difficult to know where to start when one considers the extraordinarily successful career of one of our leading playwrights. There is a little hero worship, as I was a fan before I was anything else and I still remain a fan of his works. They are his greatest legacy to succeeding generations when one considers work such as "Philadelphia Here I Come" and "The Faith Healer". There is also the famous "Dancing at Lughnasa" which, of all of his plays, resonates most strongly with the popular following across the world because of the wonderful portrayals by all of the actors and actresses in the film adaptation, led by Meryl Streep.

Apart from his prodigious output as a playwrite, the English-speaking world has hailed him as the Irish Chekhov, the universally-accented voice of Ireland. His plays have been compared favourably with those of contemporaries such as Samuel Beckett, Arthur Miller, Harold Pinter and Tennessee Williams. To be honest and lacking in total objectivity, he stands head and shoulders above even these distinguished individuals. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam. Like the Leader of the House, on behalf of the Fianna Fáil group, I pass on my deepest sympathy to his wife, Anne; his immediate and extended family. I applaud them for continuing the work of a wonderful man because the name Brian Friel will resonate long after many of his contemporaries have passed on to their eternal reward.