The death of Patrick O'Neill

[Denis Salter]

Dear Colleagues,

 

I am writing with the sad news that Patrick O'Neill died on Thursday while at a conference in Galway. He was an exemplary, rigorous scholar, and generous friend to many, who did so much painstaking and dedicated work to establish the foundations and the development of Canadian theatre history over a career spanning nearly four decades. He moved from the University of Saskatchewan in 1975 to become a Professor of Speech and Drama at Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax.  He recently served as Director of Research and International Liaison Officer for the Mount, and had returned last autumn to full-time teaching and research. He was a Fulbright Scholar in Boston during 2004-I remember him telling me vivid stories about the wonderful research libraries there and the many happy hours he spent in the Boston Athenaeum-and he was engaged in several large projects, including writing a comprehensive history of the Halifax stage. Embodying the life of the scholar as gentleman, he had a delightful, dry sense of humour, never taking himself or his work too seriously; he took enormous pleasure in sharing his research findings and helped many scholars at various stages of their careers.  He regularly delivered papers to the annual ACTR conference; ACTR was a kind of second family to him. He was a man who loved to learn, not just in order to publish, but because he was insatiably curious.   Patrick is mourned by his wife, Dianne; his sons, St. John (Lesley) of Hamilton, and Brendan of Victoria; and his sister, Margaret (James Lynn) of Ottawa and Florida. He will be fondly remembered by extended family, friends, colleagues, and the many students whom he taught and inspired. A memorial service will be held tomorrow in St. Matthias Church, Chebucto Road, in Halifax, at 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the MSVU Scholarship Endowment Fund. 



--Denis Salter 

 



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"When a people forget a language, they forfeit the heart of who they  
are and the ability to comprehend the stories that are central to their 
cultural, spiritual and emotional health."--Keren Rice.
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"That's what hybrids were invented for: survival in changing ecologies."--Lisa Doolittle 
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"To celebrate this award, and the work it recognizes of those around the world, let me recall the words of Gandhi: 'My life is my message.' Also, plant a tree."  Wangari Maathai, winner of the 2004 Nobel Prize for Peace.

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Denis Salter
Professor of Theatre
McGill University
853 Sherbrooke St. West
Montréal, QC
H3A 2T6
Tel (514) 398 6550
Regular Fax (514) 398 8146
Computer Fax (309) 294 0444
denis.salter at mcgill.ca
d.salter at videotron.ca
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