The news of the death of the brilliant human being, Stephen Hawking this morning will have woken many to a cloud of sadness.
With so much to fathom and understand about the wonderful world we live in and badly abuse.
An Experience of a Lifetime
A Castleisland man had a pint of stout with the great man in Davy Byrne’s Bar in Dublin about a decade ago and he (the Castleisland man) described it as an experience of a lifetime.
Former Castleisland Vocation School and Community College Science teacher, Ciaran Fleming described the situation in the pub on that mid afternoon:
A Commotion at the Front Door
“A number of years ago my wife Joan and I were in Dublin on a shopping mission. This usually follows a familiar pattern, she goes to Brown Thomas and I go to Davy Byrne’s just off Grafton’s St. for liquid embellishments.
It was lunchtime so the pub was fairly busy. Suddenly there was a commotion at the front door and to my amazement Stephen Hawking was wheeled in with his entourage. I was aware that he was in Dublin, giving a lecture in Trinity College.
A Fan and an Admirer
I was always a great fan and admirer of this amazing man. As a science teacher I had a basic knowledge of some of his work especially in relation to Black Holes in space.
I created a space around my table and offered it to them. They were extremely grateful and gracious.
While I did not communicate directly with the great man, yet, when I offered him a pint of Guinness I knew we were telepathically connected.
Treasured Possessions
His secretary offered to take a photograph of the two of us. Having taken my details she promised to forward the photograph in due course.
Six weeks later she fulfilled her promise I got the photograph, together with a very nice letter.
Naturally I treasure this photograph and meeting him really instilled in me that we are all, in his own words: ‘Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants’ – and he is one of the greatest of those.”
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