Gerry Ryan - Voice of honesty

IT would be easy to dismiss the coverage given toGerry Ryan’s death as media-centric; as a Montrose inspired indulgence, but it would be wrong.

Gerry Ryan was buried yesterday and hundreds of mourners packed the church of St John the Baptist in Clontarf. He was in the thoughts of thousands more.

One of the many reasons he was so well liked andrespected was because he bucked our cultural reticence. He called it like he saw it. In a country built on wriggle room his directness was refreshing.

His plain speaking stood in contrast to the shabbiness of much of our public discourse. He and his wonderful career proved that honesty resonates, that it still has real currency with us all no matter how unpalatable or discomfiting. He taught us a lesson worth learning.