EDITORIAL

Abstract

EDITORIAL [16 November2006.] It waswithgreatsadnessthatI learnt lastmonth ofthedeathofmyco-editor, Professor Gerard Murphy, MRIA.Gerard hasmadean enormous contribution to theMathematical Proceedings oftheRoyalIrishAcademy. As an editor, healways carried outhisduties carefully, expeditiously andinanexemplary fashion, combiningexcellent judgement withcareandsensitivity. In addition, hewasrelentless in pursuing theaimofincreasing thequality andimpact ofthejournal.Withgreat success, he actively sought submissions ofhighstandard; and hiscombination of great technical knowledge andenthusiasm played an essential roleintheeffort to makethejournalavailable ontheweb.Gerard wasvery proudofbeingelected a member oftheRoyal Irish Academy in1992, andover theyears hemadesignificant contributions totheAcademy committees with which hewasinvolved. As a research mathematician, Gerardmadea profound impactinseveral aspectsoffunctional analysis through hismanypapersand books:his1990book C*-algebras andoperator theory, published byAcademic Press, hasbecome a standardtextbook inmany countries, anditisoften citedinresearch articles. Thescale andquality ofhisresearch markhimas oneofthefinest mathematicians Ireland hasproduced. As a lecturer andprofessor at University CollegeCork,hesuccessfully combined large teaching loadsandonerous management duties(heserved for five yearsas headoftheMathematics Department) withhisremarkable research output. The annualconferences on functional analysis thatheorganised at UCC hadnational impact indeveloping andfostering mathematical research. Several of theleading international figures inthesubjectalso participated at thoseconferences ,intheprocess establishing links withresearchers hereinIreland thathave proved very beneficial. Itwascharacteristic ofGerard thatwhen very serious illness wasdiagnosed heresponded withstrength anddignity andcontinued tomakehis contribution totheend.Hisdeathisa great loss.Onbehalf ofeveryone associated with theMathematical Proceedings, I convey ourdeepest sympathy tohiswife Mary andfamily. Itisalsosadlyappropriate atthistime toexpress ourdeepregret atthepassing ofProfessor G.K. Pedersen oftheUniversity ofCopenhagen. Gerard Murphy and I werehonoured whenProfessor Pedersen agreedto serveas a member ofthe editorial boardfortheMathematical Proceedings. Professor Pedersen encouraged several authors to submit highquality papersto thejournal, and he wasalways extremely helpful inselecting referees andalsoinrefereeing articles himself. ThomasJ.Laffey Editor. Mathematical Proceedings oftheRoyalIrishAcademy, 106A (2), (2006)© RoyalIrishAcademy ...