It was with very great sadness that I heard the news last Sunday that Dr. Blaze O'Connor had passed away the previous day. Blaze may be known to some of you for her interest in rock art, having produced papers on rock art and conducting the first excavation of a rock art site in Ireland at Drumirril a number of years ago, she had been making plans to conduct more research there this year which were delayed due to illness.
She was a bright, bright person, in all senses, with a deep interest and appreciation of art in all forms and a sparkling intellect. When she spoke of archaeological matters she did so with great enthusiasm and a clarity that belied a great knowledgeand understanding of theoretical and cultural issues. Most of all I will remember her fun approach to life, even the tedious bits of research and the boredom of watching and waiting on a slow working photographer on the field trips we made to rock art sites in Ireland.
Before she died she was working on producing a book 'Contextualising
Atlantic Rock Art' which I was proud to be associated with by supplying photographs for the publication and we had planned on collaborating on more projects once this was completed. The book is due to be published in 2010 and will no doubt be highly anticipated by myself and others.
May she rest in peace.
