THE death occurred recently in Cavan of Peter Hayden, former County Secretary of Cavan County Council.
Peter was born in 1929 in Tipperary town. He spent a lot of his early years on his grandmother’s farm on the Offaly/Tipperary border. His father, Jack, a native of Tullamore, recognising Peter’s intelligence, was anxious that Peter was afforded the best educational opportunities that he could offer him, so he insisted on bringing Peter back to Tullamore where he attended the Christian Brothers secondary school. Peter sat the local university scholarship examination at the time of his Leaving Certificate and came first in the county. He also sat the Offaly County Council examination and also came first in the county.
Peter was the eldest of eight children. I often spoke with his family about his decision to take the job with Offaly County Council rather than going to university on the scholarship. His decision was based largely on the needs of his family. By choosing to work he was able to assist with the secondary education of his younger siblings. Possessed of an amazing intellect and an unbelievably retentive memory, Peter could have gone on to do anything he wanted, but he was content to work in the public service, living a peripatetic existence while gradually ascending the promotional ladder, before retiring as county secretary in Cavan County Council in 1994.
He was a man who wore his erudition lightly. He could quote Shakespeare or Marvell at will, or passages from Latin texts read long ago, whose particular wisdom had relevance in a certain situation. He could engage with a Croatian taxi driver about Croatian history or with a car mechanic about the evolution of the internal combustion engine. There was also a comically subversive side to Peter. He was not above raising people’s hackles in the interest of a good argument! He had an amazing capacity not to carry a grudge and his forgiveness was quick and absolute. He had the ability to take a ragging and laugh at himself. This happened frequently, particularly in relation to his DIY skills, which were legendary.
He was a most unassuming man and never wanted to cause trouble or inconvenience for anyone. He was a man who asked fundamental questions about the nature of human existence. His belief in God was not uncritical. There were many times when he was not convinced of God’s existence, but he continued to practise his faith.
He loved his garden and his home. He read extensively, avidly followed current affairs and travelled widely.
On January 8th he attended the funeral of a colleague in Cavan. The weather was bitterly cold. That night he would have watched the news, had a surreptitious smoke, read the paper, locked up, turned on the alarm and switched off the lights.
He went to bed and as he was getting up the next morning he had a massive stroke. Rory, his son, found him, still conscious but unable to speak. On the January 21st Peter left us. His loss is immeasurable.
Peter Hayden, gentleman and scholar, born June 29th, 1929 and died January 21st, 2011. May he rest in peace.
– AO’B