Tributes To Tom O’Gorman

[An event this evening in memory of Tom O’Gorman organised by the Irish Pro-Life Campaign ]

“He didn’t fit neatly into left or right. He would have been very aware of the need for social justice. He was an orthodox Catholic and lived that out in his life but he was in no way strident. He was involved in his faith. He was involved in the Focolare Movement, which emphasises spirituality for the everyday.” ““this is like something apocalyptic visited upon an innocent individual.”

Breda O Brien, Iona Institute and Irish Times columnist.

“Tom was a wonderful man, a wonderful character. I mean he was great company, a great mimic. He’d a wonderful sense of humour, very proud of his Catholic faith, very involved in his Catholic faith and similar causes. In terms of interests really, a renaissance man, a great interest in music, a great interest in films, in poetry, in literature, in politics. He was very easy company.”

Michael Kelly, editor of The Irish Catholic.

“A Catholic by conviction, he had thought about the issues and grappled with them in a way most Catholics never do.”

Sarah McDonald, CatholicIreland.net.

“”Tom was an absolute gentleman. He was one of those guys who was absolutely inoffensive. The idea that anybody could have a bad word to say about him is incredible…”
…Tom liked to talk about politics and history. He was a dedicated member of the Focolare, an international Catholic movement based in Italy that promotes peace and reconciliation among Christians. Once or twice a year Tom would take himself off to Italy for a Focolare meeting. But if truth be told, the two things Tom liked to talk about the most, in my company at least, were rugby and football. Rugby was his first love and he had a rugby correspondent’s knowledge of the game. (He also did a fantastic impersonation of George Hook, come to think of it.).”

David Quinn, Iona Institute and Irish Independent columnist.