Rathangan man recalls working with Stephen Hawking

A Rathangan man has recalled meeting the late Stephen Hawking who passed away during the week.

“It was certainly intimidating meeting the most intelligent man in the universe,” Conor O’Loughlin admits. “But he made it very easy.” 

Mr O’Loughlin was working at the time for Save the Children, a London based charity and Stephen Hawking was a supporter of the charity and it was in that context that they worked together three years ago. "It was very intimidating meeting him,” Conor reflects. “But he had a great sense of humour. He was incredibly smiley.

“He showed us his Simpson’s memorabilia — he had appeared on that show many times. He was just really very very pleasant to be with and work with. It was a real privilege to meet him.” 

Stephen Hawking was a theoretical physicist, cosmologist, author, and Director of Research at the Centre for Theoretical Cosmology within the University of Cambridge. He had a rare early-onset slow-progressing form of motor neurone disease and died last Wednesday, March 14.

Conor O'Loughlin with Stephen Hawking