I was shocked to read a few moments ago that Paul McConville died a few days ago. He was 47, apparently. Apologies if this has already been posted elsewhere, this is the first I heard of it.This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
ianssmart
Sunday, 1 December 2013
Paul McConville
It has been a bad week. Obviously the thoughts of all decent people are with those affected by the Clutha Vaults tragedy. Much has been written elsewhere about that, more eloquently than I could ever do, so I will not add to it.
But on Friday as I sat down to consider the subject of my usual Sunday blog, which inevitably will be about the White Paper, I had already decided that I also had to say something about a more private tragedy which affected me earlier in the week. In the end I decided that tacking it on to a more political piece was inappropriate so it will stand alone.
On Tuesday evening, towards the end of the Celtic Milan game word started coming through on twitter about the death of my friend, professional colleague and fellow blogger Paul McConville.
It was so sudden and unexpected that at first I couldn't be sure it was true. Tragically, it was. Suddenly and without warning of any sort he was gone, from what is suspected to have been a heart attack.
I've known Paul for more than twenty years, since he was a trainee solicitor with Hughie Trainor in Coatbridge. Although his work then took him to Courts beyond Airdrie, he remained a frequent visitor there and much regarded company by all at the local bar.
It is no secret that he had had a difficult professional career, with the collapse of his own firm several years back leading him to suffer a bout of acute depression and the inevitable round of tabloid publicity that is attracted to any lawyer "falling down on the job". But, contrary to the later malicious allegations of those who set out to harm him, he took nobody's money. His business failed and he became ill. That was all. And later he himself spoke bravely and openly about that period.
But it was in the aftermath of that trauma that he established almost a second life as an internet commentator through his "Random Thoughts re Scots Law" blog.
If you consider the topics listed on the right hand side of his site you will see the breadth of the subjects he covered. Always with wit; regularly with unique insight.
He is however probably most famous for his chronicling of the various machinations at Ibrox and in the Courts before and after the liquidation of Rangers. This was territory he must have known would lead to him attracting attention and abuse in equal measure, abuse that shamefully continued even after his death. Anybody who thinks political blogging in Scotland should not be for the faint hearted should look for a moment at some of what goes on around the Old Firm. And threats in that context cannot as easily be shrugged off as internet bravado as those made in the political world.
To all of this however, in life, Paul brought the same drollery and common sense rationality that surrounded him in the "real" world. Truth and accuracy would allow him to triumph in argument time and time again.
It even lead him to some sort of minor celebrity among the "Celtic family", although it was truly the case, as he never ceased insisting, that his first and truest football loyalty was always to the mighty Albion Rovers.
It was a celebrity he never sought, for he remained above all a modest, deeply religious, family man. He wrote only a couple of months back about the joy of celebrating his 20th Wedding Anniversary with an openness and patent sincerity, indeed, in the proper sense, love, that would have defied most West of Scotland men to express.
Any death is a tragedy but the death so young of such a patently good man is almost impossible to come to terms with.
My thoughts are obviously with Val and his girls. The days ahead will be difficult for them. But when we gather for his funeral hopefully the size of the attendance there will give them some appreciation that their great loss is one shared, in an inevitably smaller way, by so many others.
Rest in Peace big man. You'll be missed.
http://www.philmacgiollabhain.ie/paul-mcconville/
http://henryclarson.wordpress.com/20...lle-a-tribute/
View Poll Results: What is your attitude to a new "Rangers" entering at Div1?
- Voters
- 1016. You may not vote on this poll
-
Opposed - and will walk away from Scottish professional football
537 52.85% -
Opposed - but will continue to support the game.
454 44.69% -
In favour.
25 2.46%
Results 23,491 to 23,520 of 45185
-
01-12-2013 10:47 PM #23491
- Join Date
- Apr 2007
- Posts
- 3,276
Last edited by s.a.m; 01-12-2013 at 10:49 PM.
-
-
01-12-2013 11:12 PM #23493
Yes, sad news about Paul McConville. His blog was always informative and never abusive. It was light-hearted and his analysis of all the shennagins at Ibrox was clear and easy to understand, even for such as me who know little about the intricacies of law and finance. Such a shame.
R.I.P. Paul.
-
02-12-2013 12:06 AM #23494
- Join Date
- Nov 2009
- Location
- Back in the town
- Age
- 61
- Posts
- 12,314
RIP. How sad he died before seeing Albion Rovers beat Motherwell.
-
-
02-12-2013 01:57 PM #23496
R.I.P. Paul.
Showed a lot of courage and provided great service by doing what so many in the mainstream shyed away from.
-
02-12-2013 05:27 PM #23497
How sad. I always enjoyed his blog and he helped to fill that huge gap left by the MSM.
R.I.P. Paul and my condolences his family.
-
17-12-2013 08:29 PM #23498
The requisitioners are ****ed..........
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25423601
-
17-12-2013 08:32 PM #23499This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
How fun that would be
-
17-12-2013 08:37 PM #23500This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
-
17-12-2013 08:37 PM #23501
- Join Date
- Feb 2008
- Posts
- 2,227
Kind of lost track about what's happening at that vile club, but I'm assuming that this is good news tonight? ( well for non Sevco fans anyway!)
-
17-12-2013 08:42 PM #23502This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
-
17-12-2013 08:42 PM #23503This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
-
17-12-2013 08:46 PM #23504This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
-
18-12-2013 07:42 AM #23505
Apparently their wage bill is the highest in Scotland besides Celtic, anyone know if it's true?
-
18-12-2013 07:56 AM #23506This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
-
18-12-2013 08:01 AM #23507This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
-
18-12-2013 08:05 AM #23508
- Join Date
- Feb 2012
- Posts
- 695
Assuming the current board are safe, it raises serious questions about the immediate future of Sally McCoist. He has, it seems, nailed his colours to the cause of the Requisitioners, presumably in the belief that they would come out on top in the AGM battle. What price he is emptied for his self-seeking treachery ASAP?
-
18-12-2013 08:09 AM #23509This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
Apparently, the Board know of this, and understand his reasons. Whether it will affect their attitude to him is still to be seen.
-
18-12-2013 08:18 AM #23510
- Join Date
- Feb 2012
- Posts
- 695
Yes, I was aware he had given a proxy to a supportes branch but, given the slippery way in which McCoist goes about his business, I feel this is his way of backing the Requisitioners without doing so in a direct manner. Still raises doubts over his future IMHO.
-
18-12-2013 08:38 AM #23511
- Join Date
- Apr 2007
- Posts
- 3,276
Dave Galloway @davegalloway83 2m "@SkySportsAmy: BREAKING: Former Rangers owner Craig Whyte has lost his appeal against ticket firm Ticketus and must pay £18m damages
-
18-12-2013 09:39 AM #23512This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
-
18-12-2013 10:12 AM #23513This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
With shares selling at 34 pence the total capitisation of the Club is only £ 22 million. The castle will have to go too !
-
18-12-2013 10:26 AM #23514This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
-
18-12-2013 10:49 AM #23515This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
Naw, this one .......
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/sc...-faces-1855997
-
18-12-2013 11:06 AM #23516This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
-
18-12-2013 02:55 PM #23517This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
-
19-12-2013 10:15 AM #23518
Live updates from AGM...........comedy gold.
http://news.stv.tv/west-central/2574...neral-meeting/
-
19-12-2013 11:20 AM #23519
The club reported a £14m operating loss for the 13 months to June after around £22m was raised in a share issue late last year.
-
19-12-2013 11:24 AM #23520
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25423601
The current Rangers board has won enough support to remain in place, BBC Scotland has learned.
is this good/funny
Log in to remove the advert |
Bookmarks