Peter loved cars and driving. He did a lot of driving for his work and he always had nice cars. The cars included two Triumph Heralds, Triumph 1300, Austin Princess, Austin Allegro, Renault 18, and a Suzuki Grand Vitara

Even though he did a lot of driving during the week, Peter didn't mind driving at the weekend. He would think nothing of driving to visit Mum's family in Gubaveeney in Co Cavan and coming home the same evening. Google Maps says that this is a 2.25 hour drive now, but it was a LOT more then

And Peter would take the whole family out of a drive on most Sunday afternoons. The high point of these trips was that we would buy 99 ice creams in Portmarnock or Donabate

Peter also loved classic cars. We had place mats which showed classic cards and we would take these out for important meals. He also collected models of classic cars and displayed these around the sitting room. His grandchildren gave him many models to add to his collection over the years

Peter liked to read. He read the newspaper every day. He also read lots of books, especially detective novels. He also enjoyed doing crossword puzzles. In later years, he started doing Sudoku puzzles too

We didn't really play cards much at home, but Peter enjoyed playing Patience (solitare). He could play Patience or "Clock Patience" happily for hours

In the evenings, Peter liked to go for a pint (and a "chaser" I think) with his good friend and next-door neighbour, Ben Boyle. They would meet up with other friends in their regular watering hole, The Tolka House in Glasnevin

Music was very important in Peter's family. He played the piano and his brothers Jim and Terry played the accordion.

Unfortunately while his brothers continued to play the accordion for their whole lives, Peter stopped playing the piano and we did not have a piano in Dean Swift Road.

Only his son John learned to play an instrument. His chosen instrument was the guitar

The only record I remember Peter owning was one by Irish tenor Josef Locke. Josef (real name Joseph McLaughlin) was born 10 years before Peter, also in Derry, and I have a vague recollection of Peter telling some story about appearing on the same bill as him (at a talent show, I think). Peter played the piano and we think he was accompanying a singer

I also remember him watching and liking Val Doonican on TV

People he would like to go and see perform live included Red Hurley and Dickie Rock

The only sports Peter really played were golf and tennis.

He bought a set of gold clubs and played a few times with his work. He also brought us to the local golf driving range on numerous occasions

Peter played tennis with us quite a few times, sometime on a tennis court but mostly by drawing the outline of a tennis court in the sand on a beach. Until we got quite big, Peter was able to beat two of us at the same time!

Peter liked to watch movies and he regularly rented videos both before and after his stroke. He liked old war moves like The Guns of Navarone, 633 Squadron, The Dam Busters, and A Bridge Too Far

He also liked the Godfather series of movies

Peter's son John tells this story:

"I do remember watching the 'The Third Man' with Peter. The score by Anton Karas is famous for popularising the zither. Peter was telling me it was so popular at the time that one of his friends (maybe a flatmate?) had bought a zither, and they'd both tried to learn to play it. Might be hard today to imagine the zither being the cool new instrument, but it sounds like it was at the time!"

TV shows Peter liked in earlier years included Columbo, Kojack, Ironside, Petrocelli and The Rockford Files. In later years he liked Inspector Morse, and A Touch of Frost.

Comedy TV shows he liked included Porridge, "Last of the Summer Wine" and "Only Fools and Horses"

His son Peter tells this story:

The TV show I remember Peter liking most clearly was the snooker programme "Pot Black". The reason I remember this so well was that it was on at 9 pm on Friday night, the same time as one of my favorite programmes, Kung Fu!

The actors Peter admired included "tough guys" such as Charles Bronson, Robert Mitchum, Clint Eastwood and John Wayne

Peter loved watching comedians on TV. His favourites were probably Dave Allen and Tommy Cooper, but he also watched Dick Emery, Benny Hill, and Les Dawson

In terms of double acts, Peter loved Morecambe and Wise and the Two Ronnies

Peter had a great vocabulary.

His son Peter tells this story:

I remember one time in English class in secondary school the teacher did not know the meaning of "retroactive" and he told us that he would give a prize to anyone who knew the meaning the following day. As there was no Internet in those days, I asked my Peter and he did know. The next day the whole English class went by and the teacher did not bring it up. So at the end of the class I did. I told him the meaning and, believe it or not, I am still waiting for the prize!

Peter had a really good sense of humour. Two funny things he liked (which his kids often heard him say) were:

"I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous"

"How is it that you always find whatever you're looking for in the last place you look?!"

When Peter went to the North for work, he often brought home coffee cake, which his kids loved

In a trait which he passed on to all his kids, Peter was very partial to chocolate. His favourite bar was Cadbury's Golden Crisp. His kids and grandkids often brought a bar of Golden Crisp when visiting him at home or, later on, in the nursing home