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Dr.
Garrett O’Connor was a world renowned psychiatrist. Last week dh died
peacefully in his sleep at home in Aughrim, Co. Wicklow. Garrett was married to
the equally well known actress Fionnula Flanagan.
He
was recognised for work in the field of alcohol addiction and was the president
and CEO of the Betty Ford Institute. Garrett was originally from Dublin.
His
funeral took place on Saturday and I was one of those who spoke at
the ceremony.
Below is my oration.
Oration for Garrett O Connor:
Ba mhaith liom mo
chombhrón agus bá a dhéanamh le Fionnuala, Mathew, Turlough, Mary Lee, Julie
and Mary.
Agus do clan uilig
O Connor, do na cairde’s leathbhádóiri or fadh trasna an Domhan.
It was my great
privilege to know Garrett, not as well as his close family who will feel his
loss in a special intimate way, especially his beloved Fionnuala. But I am glad
I knew him.
It is an honour
to say a few inadequate words about this insightful, articulate, creative,
honest, courageous and very gifted human being.
He would blush at
this but in his long life he touched many people in a positive and empowering
way. It should be of some consolation to his family that there are many
thousands of people alive today, and tens of thousands of families, leading productive
and loving lives, because of his
tireless efforts in challenging alcohol abuse and providing counselling and
other supports for those in need.
He also talked
publicly and very bravely about the personal and family trauma alcoholism
created in his life.
Garrett’s training in addiction training and psychiatry was unmatched.
For four decades he travelled widely teaching, consulting, learning, and
sharing his experience and ideas with others. He and his close friend Dr. Ivor
Browne were trail blazers. Under the auspices of the Irish Association of Human
Development, founded by Ivor, which started initially in Ballyfermot, this work
was then pioneered in Derry after Bloody Sunday with the Bogside Community
Association and Paddy Doherty – Paddy Bogside. A lot of what they did there was
based on experimental techniques created largely by Garrett and Ivor.
So although Garrett lived for 50 years in the USA his connections with
Ireland were deep and constant. He loved Ireland and the Irish people.
Garrett has also written extensively and persuasively on the role of
malignant shame in the Irish psyche and its connection to colonialism. He articulated
his belief that the crisis created by malignant shame also extends now into the
Ireland of austerity.
I first met Garrett and Fionnuala exactly 21 years ago. A
group of us were travelling across the USA meeting Irish American communities
and political leaders. Not long after the IRA sos in 1994.
On October 6th, my birthday, Garrett and Fionnuala very
kindly hosted a birthday party at their home in Beverly Hills. Our friend Richard McAuley was enthralled by
all of the movie stars who turned up. A reporter for the Sunday Times
was there also skulking around outside, taking down registration numbers of
parked cars. Then Fionnuala produced a birthday cake and Garrett led us in
singing ‘Lá breithe shona duit’, silencing the evensong of the crickets and
giving our intrepid reporter colourful copy of the front page of his next
edition.
Some weeks later I sent Garrett and Fionnuala wild flower seeds, mostly
foxgloves or Méirini Púca which I gathered in a Glenside at the back of Errigal
in Donegal. Not long afterwards Oscar, Garrett’s huge hairy Airdale died.
Garrett dutifully buried the dog in the back garden – probably in breach of a
thousand by-laws. Fionnuala unbeknownst to him sprinkled the wildflower seeds
over Oscar’s grave.
When the wildflowers bloomed, with the sight and scent of the western
highlands of Donegal on the west coast of the USA, Garrett proclaimed that Oscar
had performed a miracle.
Garrett was a decent human being. A strong Irish patriot agus cara mór
do pobal na hÉireann. Ní chífidh muid a leitheid arís ann.
The author Terry Pratchett, who died recently, put it well before his
death.
“No one is actually dead until the
ripples they cause in the world die away …”
Garrett has left many ripples.
But of course now will be a time of great grief for Fionnuala and those
closest to Garrett. Yours is the greatest loss. Garrett would want you all to
be well. I think he would approve of Brendan Kennelly’s poem Begin.
This wee extract is for Fionnuala and all of the O Connor clan.
Begin again to the summoning birds
To the sight of light at the window
Begin to the loneliness that cannot end
At crying birds and the sudden rain
At branches stark in the winter sunlight
To words of greeting in the Dublin morning
Though we live in a world that thinks of ending
That always seems about to give in
Something that will not acknowledge conclusion
Insists that we forever begin
Slan Garrett
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