 |
|
 |
|
Harry Harrison has long been a friend of Irish Science Fiction, and I'm
pleased to say, a friend of mine. From the very beginning of the Irish
Science Fiction Association in 1976 he has encouraged, supported and aided
the various attempts to promote the genre in Ireland. He was one of the
original patrons of the Association, and indeed he was the very first 'Big
Name' I met, at the first World Science Fiction meeting some 25 years ago,
where the ISFA was born. He brought most of the leading names in the field
to the international backwater that was Ireland in the 1970s, giving us
book-starved fans a chance to meet them. He has been a regular attendee at
monthly meetings of the Association, and he, Anne McCaffrey and the late
James White used to regularly enthral the 40 or 50 fans with anecdotes and
readings.
Typical of the man was one incident a few years ago when, strapped for money the Association needed to get a sculptor to produce a trophy for the Aisling Gheal (Bright Vision) short story competition. It was suggested that I approach Harry and ask him to sponsor the competition. After a long phone call during which we talked about everything but the competition I suggested the idea: the cheque arrived two days later and the Harry Harrison Award was born! When I broached the idea of him meeting the winner of the award (who was a big Harry Harrison fan) a few months later Harry insisted that the winner and I go to his south Dublin apartment where we shared tequilas, chatted and admired the views for an afternoon. The Aisling Gheal winner admitted that meeting Harry was better than the money or the trophy! Of course, the classic story of Harry must be when he and Tom Shippey were guests at the Trinity College SF Convention (TrinCon) in 1992. There is a traditional Friday evening dinner where the lecturers and Dean of the college assemble in the Great Hall and which the con attendees managed to get invited to. Everyone was seated and about to begin the meal when there were loud raps on the massive Hall doors. With everyone looking around and no indication that the rapping was likely to stop the porters opened the doors. Harry and Tom marched in to thunderous applause from the sf fans, thus breaking hundreds of years of tradition - the doors had never been opened during the meal before! Finally a brief word of thanks to Harry's wife Joan who has been by his side throughout his involvement with Irish fandom and who has been equally supportive. On behalf of the Irish fans - thanks Harry and Joan and Happy Birthday!
|
