In the mid-1960s I found myself in an unfamiliar world of Irish financial journalism, which at that time in Dublin could only be described as trying to keep up with the pace that was being set by Nicholas. I was lucky enough to remain a business journalist for another 40 years, and can safely say the bar that he achieved was never topped. He was quicker, smarter, more resourceful, had better contacts than anyone else in the business. Magazines in the old days used run a feature called the ‘most unforgettable person I met’. If I was asked to nominate a candidate for such a feature, Nicholas Leonard would be high on my list.