Brendan Grace was a national treasure. It was such a privilege to call him a friend. One of my very favourite Dublin people along with Larry Gogan and Brush Shiels. I had the absolute privilege of doing the last ever newspaper interview with Brendan when I spoke to him in the Galway Clinic. He had an incredible fondness for rural Ireland and I always looked forward to his regular phone calls. He loved his many trips to Mayo, the home of his manager Tom Kelly (Ballina) who took care of his diary for 27 years. Here in Mayo, we held Brendan in the greatest of affection. There will never be anyone remotely like him again. We will cherish him in our hearts as long as we live.
