Ben Lowry: This week I was remembering two fine Ulstermen who died around Christmas
This week I attended the funerals of two fine Northern Ireland men: Tom Johnston, who died on Christmas Eve, and John McKinney, who died on Boxing Day. (Our report of Mr McKinney’s funeral was on page three of the print edition, and can be read by clicking on the link below).
Tom, who lived in a farm outside Belfast, was father of an old school pal, Jeff Johnston.
Mr Johnston was reading this newspaper before I was born, and if I am ever trying to assess the value of a story I think of archetypal readers such as Tom and his wife Maureen.
He was buried at Castlereagh Presbyterian Church, one of those beautiful Ulster places of worship that, on the inside, with its wooden pews and curving gallery, could be easily be a one of those New England churches built by the Scots Irish around the time of the American revolution.
Tom among other qualities, had a glorious dry sense of humour.
John McKinney was a key member of staff at our school – he was not one of my teachers but I did run for him (he was athletics coach) as a young sprinter against schools such as Coleraine Inst.
I also sang in the choir with him – he was a bass, I was a tenor.
Yesterday’s extraordinary service has few precedents in Campbell’s history.
Among many moments, I savoured the magical harmony in one of yesterday’s hymns, Praise My Soul the King of Heaven, which bass singers will know, when that lowest line ascends an octave-and-a-half as a scale.
In my head, I could hear John singing it.
• Ben Lowry (@Benlowry2) is News Letter editor