FR BRIAN D’Arcy has led local tributes to legendary broadcaster Sir Terry Wogan, describing him as “the best friend I’ve ever had”.

The Rector of St Gabriel’s Retreat in the Graan, near Enniskillen joined fans, fellow broadcasters and heads of state in paying tribute to Sir Terry, who has died of cancer at the age of 77.

Fr D’Arcy (70) was a regular contributor to Pause for Thought on Wogan’s hugely popular BBC Radio 2 breakfast show. He knew Sir Terry for more than four decades and was also close to the broadcaster’s wife Lady Helen and their three children.

 

“I’ve known him since before he went to Britain. After he left Ireland, we kept up our friendship. I stayed in the house with the family on many occassions and officiated at the weddings of his children.

“He was such a man for a laugh and when I would be over in London to do Pause for Thought, we would go for coffee after the show when it would just be one long joke after another. He was a wonderful story-teller himself and he had a maginificent memory. He loved me bringing over stories from Ireland because it was still such a big part of his heart and he very much loved it there where he began his broadcasting career.   

“He was totally a family man and once he was away from the bright lights, he was not Sir Terry Wogan but dad or grandad. His whole world revolved around his wife Helen, who was the centre of his life for over 50 years. Anyone who ever went to the Wogan home understands that there are no pictures of stars on the walls.

 

 The living room is festooned with pictures of the family, young and old, at various gatherings.” 

 

  The pair met for the very last time just last week.  

 

“I got a scare personally, knowing Terry as well as I do, when he wasn’t able to do Children in Need back in November. I knew that there must be something seriously wrong. I left it for a while and contacted the family just before Christmas and that’s when I heard that the news wasn’t too good but that the cancer was curable. 

“I was glad to hear that at the time but I was contacted after Christmas and told that the situation had got much worse and that the cancer had spread. I went over last Thursday one last time to see Terry and the family. It was a very sad day because as soon as I saw Terry I knew it was the last time I was going to see him and the end of a beautiful friendship.” 

 

First Minister Arlene Foster described the legendary broadcaster as “one of a kind” and said she was “so, so sorry” to hear of his death.

“I used to love him on Radio 2 and his Eurovision coverage was legendary for its wit. Children in Need was synonymous with Sir Terry and when he missed it in November, little did we think it was because he was terminally ill. 

“He was a truly fabulous broadcaster and family man. We are certainly the poorer for his passing.”