The son of one of Tempo’s best known characters, Jack Shannon, has said he will remember his father who died earlier this month at the age of 91 as a “very kind man”.

Mr. Shannon, a father of two, was a member of several community groups, including organisations which aimed to improve the lives of senior citizens, and became heavily involved in all aspects of community life for many years.

“Daddy was a very kind man, if he could help you out he would help you out. He knew a lot of people and was a great ambassador for cross community work,” recalled his son Martin, speaking to The Impartial Reporter this week.

Mr. Shannon was, perhaps, best known for uncovering a 1,000 year old block of butter in a bog near Tempo over 30 years ago, an experience he recalled when he met the Duchess of Cornwall during a visit to Enniskillen Castle Museums in 2014.

“I am the man who found the butter,” he quipped, explaining to a smiling Royal Highness how he “had no more interest in it than going to the moon”.

Mr. Shannon located the 35lb block of butter while out cutting turf with his two sons, to which she replied: “I thought it was a large mushroom!”

Speaking to this newspaper afterwards, the straight talking farmer said it was an honour to meet Camilla, who visited Fermanagh along with the Prince of Wales.

“I told her straight all about it; I told her the Jack Russell dog took an interest in this big round ball more than me and she told me she had two Jack Russells.

“It was was an honour, surely,” he laughed.

“That was him, he had a great sense of humour,” recalled Martin.

“He was always telling jokes, no doubt about it. He would be sitting in his chair, telling you a joke, and he would be laughing half way through it,” he said.

Martin said his father was always eager to help older people.

“He would have brought elderly people to meetings and always made sure they had a lift to and from wherever they were going, he didn’t like to see anyone stuck.”

Mr. Shannon’s death has come as a shock to his entire family.

“We are still trying to get used to it, Daddy was driving on Christmas Day and then on Boxing Day he wasn’t feeling the best. He went to hospital and died nine days later with double pneumonia. It has been a huge shock,” he said.

Mr. Shannon was the beloved husband of the late Briget, father of Martin (Geraldine) and Brendan (Geoffry), brother of Mary Brazil, Rosey Miller, Bridie Morris, Joe, Mick, and the late Philomena Owens, Betty Flynn, Eileen Bull and Brian, and a devoted grandfather to Charlene, Emma and Lisa and great grandfather to Evie, Aoife, Eoin, Alanna and Ollie.

“We will always remember him for his kindness and good nature,” said Martin, on behalf of his family.