Remembering Tadhg Ó Fátharta

A Note from Howard:

The effervescent charm and spirit of Tadhg Ó Fátharta was undeniable and contagious. From the moment I met him at his interview, his charm, wit, sense of irony and confidence grabbed and held my attention. Tadhg never really got ruffled, he would analyze a building and say very calmly… “They’ve got a problem… big time.” With a sly and knowing smile, he’s often said “it is what it is. It’s their problem and I’ve analyzed it, diagnosed it, I can come up with the remedy… if you let me.”. He had a deceptively simple but eternally practical thought process that approached challenges in a measured way. Nothing was too complicated. Tadhg possessed an Engineer’s mind, “look at the facts, analyze the problem, propose a fix and get it done” This straightforward, no-nonsense approach worked even in his personal life. If only we could all approach our challenges so sensibly! I admired how it seemed he assessed everything through this practical lens: getting married, having kids, buying a house… I admired the calmness and clarity of Tadhg’s thinking and approach to life. It was also so wonderful to see the joy that came to him when talking about his wife and children. Talk of them always brought the familiar, “Tadhg smile” from ear to ear. In plain words, he was simply a wonderful person who brought a sense of warmth, confidence and charm to whatever meeting or event he was a part of. We will miss him dearly. We hope his family finds comfort in the wonderful memories he provided them in the too-short time they had. In the Jewish tradition, there is an expression often said when a loved one passes, “may their memory be a blessing,” and I wish this to his family as well as all who are grieving Tadhg. We are truly so lucky to have known him.