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His co-actor, Andrew Murray, had to sign official documents. who supports him with what at On June 2,1941, two years af- first might be described best as te r h i s r e t i r e m e nt f r om b a s eb a l l , Insight and inspiration gentle tolerance, soon becomes Lou Gehrig died at his home in the indebted to the older man’s Riverdale section of the Bronx. deep understanding of life and Mayor LaGuardia ordered flags his brave acceptance of death. in New York to be flown at half- Reviewing a play in which the human relationship in the face of death and disability Andrew is also a director mast. The Yankees dedicated a and co-founder of the Viking monument to Gehrig in centre is explored with tenderness, and some humour, Prof Eoin O’Brien believes Theatre@The Sheds. field at Yankee Stadium on July will enrich understanding for all who care for ill people 6, 1942, lauding him as: “A man, Lou Gehrig’s disease a gentleman and a great ball-

Henry Louis, ‘Lou’ or ‘Buster’ player whose amazing record of uesdays With Morrie is age that developed into a phil- Gehrig (1903-1941), was an 2,130 consecutive games should a true autobiographical osophical examination of the American baseball first base- stand for all time.” story of Michael (Mitch) human condition. man who played 17 seasons in Lou Gehrig starred in the T Albom and his relation- The pain of Morrie’s rapidly- Major League Baseball for the 1938 20th Century Fox movie ship with his mentor Morrie approaching demise and Mitch’s New York Yankees. Gehrig set Rawhide, playing himself in his Schwartz, his former college pro- necessary obsession with the several major league records, only feature film appearance. fessor. Albom was born in New requirements of his frenetic ex- including the most career grand In 2006, researchers pre- Jersey in 1958. In 1979, he earned istence are made tolerable, and slams (23) and most consecutive sented a paper to the American his Bachelor of Arts degree from even enjoyable, by the tender games played (2,130). Gehrig is Academy of Neurology, report- Brandeiss University in Waltham, humour and deep understand- chiefly remembered for his ing on an analysis of Rawhide Massachusetts, where one of his ing of life that is so evident in the prowess as a hitter and his du- and photographs of Lou Gehrig teachers was Morrie Schwartz, older man’s repartee with his rability, a trait which earned from the 1937-1939 period, to the title character. former student. The exchange him his nickname ‘The Iron ascertain when Gehrig began After university, Mitch tried forces the audience to re-eval- Horse’, as well as the pathos of to show visible symptoms of unsuccessf u l ly to become a pro- uate the worldly influences that his farewell from baseball at age amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. fessional boxer and a nightclub drive and motivate our lives. Terry Byrne as Morrie (left) and Andrew Murray as Mitch 36, when he was stricken with They concluded that while at- musician. He eventually took up Terry Byrne as Morrie (left) and Andrew Murray as Mitch motor neurone disease, which is rophy of hand muscles could be professional sports journalism, Novel and film ten by and Jeffrey the Pavilion in Dun Laoghaire, known in the US and Canada as detected in 1939 photographs a career in which he became When Morrie died, Albom be- Hatcher, was adapted from this where it played to a packed ‘Lou Gehrig’s disease’. of Gehrig, no such abnormality very successful and which led to gan gathering notes for his book, popular first novel and was re- house and a very appreciative Gehrig was elected to the was visible at the time Rawhide his having his own nationally- Tuesdays With Morrie, in which ceived with acclaim. audience. I have known Terry Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939. In was made in January 1938. syndicated radio show on sport. he traced the philosophical Perhaps the N e w Yo r k P o s t b e s t Byrne for may years and have 1969, he was voted the greatest During this time, he thought threads of his and Morrie’s dis- captured its essential pathos: “I seen him in many productions, first baseman of all time by the Future fixtures little if at all about his univer- cussions on the meaning of life, was unprepared for how mov- but this must rate as among his Baseball Writers’ Association. Tuesdays With Morrie will be sity days, but 16 years after held each Tuesday in Morrie’s ing Tuesday s With Mor r ie turned most successful achievements. Following the diagnosis, he next staged at the following graduation, he chanced to see home. The novel became a best- out to be… On this ground, the Terry is a theatre professional served as Parole venues: Droichead Arts Centre, his former professor discuss- seller and the profits were di- flowers of humanity grow.” The who works principally as a di- Commissioner, always shun- D r o g h e d a (O c tob e r 6); R i v e rb a n k ing his battle with Lou Gehrig’s vided between the author and play was followed later by a film rector, but he has recently re- ning publicity in his quest for Arts Centre, Kildare (October disease. Mitch contacted and the Schwartz family, which had in 1999, in which Jack Lemmon turned to theatre and film act- better conditions in correc- 10); Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray visited Morrie, and what began incurred considerable medical played his last role. ing, playing roles in the Abbey, tional institutions. He was often (October 11-12); the Solstice Arts as a simple gesture of kindness expenses in caring for Morrie. I saw the present produc- Gate, Andrew’s Lane and most helped by his wife Eleanor, who Centre, Meath (October 16); and soon became a weekly pilgrim- The play, which was writ- tion of Tuesdays With Morrie in of the provincial theatres. would guide his hand when he The Gaiety (October 22 to 27).

Out and about in Dublin National NCHD Consultation Meeting on Pay Cut Some attendees at the IMO National NCHD Consultation Meeting at the Radisson Hotel, Golden Lane, Dublin

L to R: Steve Tweed, IMO IR; Dr Peadar Gilligan; Shirley Coulter, IMO IR; and Dr Anthony O’Connor Dr Matthew Sadlier; Dr Karen O’Connor; and Dr Eric Kelleher

Dr Eoin Fenton; and Dr John Duddy L to R: Dr James Mahon; Dr John Aird; Dr Martin Arrigan; and Dr Johnny O’Mahony

32 | Irish Medical Times 05.10.12