Corkman Finbarr Archer on dedication to graves of Air India disaster victims

Corkman Finbarr Archer talks to Helen O’Callaghan about his decades-long dedication to the grave of an Indian mother and daughter lost in the Air India disaster – and muses about what inspired him, and how it gives him solace to think Annu and Rena Alexandra’s names won’t be forgotten. 

Well-known Cork figure, Finbarr Archer, pictured outside Cork City Hall, is best known today as the chauffeur to the Lord Mayor, a role in which his warmth and good humour have made him a familiar and respected presence around the city.  Picture: Chani Anderson

June 23, 1985, I was in Ballincollig on my day off when I heard about the Air India crash. I was working for a city undertaker and, when I went back into the city, my boss said we needed to go up to the airport... an emergency plan had been put in place.

All the emergency services had kicked in and they were starting to bring in the victims. They were transferred to a temporary mortuary in the airport, and then to the mortuary at CUH — it was Cork Regional Hospital then.