T. P. Ennis
I couldn’t believe it when I heard that T.P, had died. I didn’t want to believe it. I’ve lost not only a great colleague but a dear, dear friend. T.P. combined two qualities which are so rare amongst historians. He was a gentleman – a true gentle man – but he also possessed at times infuriating humility.
He truly was the unsung hero of Cavan history. He was content to beaver away in the midst of sometimes musty manuscript repositories, no doubt often facing the frustration of not finding what he was looking for, but knowing that his dedication and commitment would be eventually repaid.
One of the articles I am proudest of is the study of the creamery company I co-wrote with T.P. last year, He would have been entitled to claim the whole piece as his work, as he had dont most of the research and I just re-arranged it, but instead he didn’t want his name to appear on the article at all. This wasn’t because he was ashamed to be mentioned as joint author with me, but was once again a product of that humility I mentioned earlier. Now it’s a convention hallowed by years of use that co-authors are listed alphabetically but T.P. insisted that I should be put first, and it had been such a hard job to get him to put his name at all to the article that I gave way.
I’m feeling really shook up by the news. I could always rely on T.P.’s friendship and advice, as well as his ability to ferret interesting data out of collections that I can’t get to these days. But then T.P. was a true historian. Whatever historical work I do in the future is dedicated to him. Oh God above, why do you take away the good people and leave this world (which you created) to be overrun by crawling scum?
But you know, when I think of T.P.. I smile as I remember the happy days when he was alive and the fact that I was privileged to know him.
