Sir, – Oliver O’Hanlon (An Irishman’s Diary, December 18th) mentions Samuel Beckett’s generosity to family members. The Jim and Peggy Beckett he mentioned were my maternal grandparents. Their daughter, Margo is my mother and is now in her 92nd year.
I can offer a little more explanation of Sam’s helpful support. His uncle, Jim, was a double leg amputee late in life. This was after an outstanding sporting career where he excelled at rugby, senior cup with Old Wesley in 1909, cricket and boxing to provincial level. He also participated in swimming and diving to national level and was captain of the Irish water polo team at the Olympics in Paris in 1924.
Incidentally Mum held numerous national swimming records and titles in the mid 1940s and was swimming up to her 90th birthday.
Sam lives on in our hearts and minds. His godson, Sorley and his wife Sara, recently had their first child and named him after the great man. – Yours, etc,
MIKE MAGAN,
Longford.