My friend Mark sent me a link to an excellent documentary on Robert Shaw earlier, and I have to say, it’s fantastic….
Mark and I are big Robert Shaw fans, and massive fans of his performance in Jaws as the formidable Quint (Shaw wasn’t much taken with the role though).
The documentary is beautifully shot, weaving in old footage of Shaw, along with commentary from people who knew him, his neighbours, and from his family.
His children came across very warmly and his one son (Ian?) is the absolute spit of him.
Tourmakeady
The Shaw family moved to the beautiful Irish lakeside village of Tourmakeady – partially because, apparently, Shaw grew up in an isolated, seaside environment and either those memories called back to him, or he was hoping to recreate the same for his family.
Shaw enjoyed the sauce and here he is, behind the bar in Paddy’s – a place I would certainly like to visit.
Shaw was an accomplished writer and I’m going to look into reading some of his works.
Sadly, he died suddenly at that very young age of 51. I say ‘very young‘ as this is close to my heart, I am 51 on Friday.
Am certainly adding a trip to Tourmakeady on my bucket list. And will pay my respects to Paddy’s and the stone commemorating Shaw which, in respect to his energy and vivacity, says:
He was a man who lived here, not a man who died here.
Joel