THE journalist and author, Niall Fallon has died suddenly.
A former Assistant Editor of The Irish Times, the late Mr Fallon is survived by his wife, Patricia, and their children, Devin, Gillian, Garrett and Simon.
A son of the poet and playwright, Padraic Fallon, Niall was working on a major book on the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915, at the time of his death. The Armada in Ireland, published in 1978, was the culmination of years of research. Fly fishing for Irish Trout, written by him in the early 1980s has become a bible for Irish fly fishing anglers.
Mr Fallon was a brother of Irish Times Chief Critic, Brian Fallon and has three surviving brothers, Conor, the sculptor, Padraic, financial journalist and entrepreneur and Ivan, a former deputy editor of the Sunday Times who now runs Independent Newspapers affairs in South Africa.
Another brother, Garrett, a Wexford based veterinary surgeon, died in South Africa earlier this month.
Niall Fallon joined The Irish Times in 1961 and worked there for more than a decade. Following a short time in provincial journalism and business, he rejoined the organisation in 1975 as deputy chief sub editor.
In December 1985, Mr Fallon who lived at Killyon Lodge, Hill of Down, Co Meath, was appointed an assistant editor and remained with the newspaper until 1990 when he decided to concentrate on creative writing. He continued to write a Fine Arts column for this paper.
His remains will be removed from Heffernan's Funeral Home High Street, Trim, tomorrow evening at 6.15 p.m. to Killyon Church. The funeral, following 11 o'clock mass on Monday, will be at the adjoining cemetery.