As this thread drifted a bit off course in one direction, I drifted in another, and for a while I wasn't checking in here as regularly, as religiously as I used to in the early years.
With the onset of the Covid crisis, I often thought of Danny, and wondered if he was still with us and safely cocooned. So I started reading it again, but picking up exactly at the carefully-noted spot where I had left off. As a result I have been able to enjoy his and others' contributions "as live" for the last couple of months. As Chugalug points out, Danny was indeed a born serial narrator, always leaving us craving the next episode. While I can't say I was surprised, it was still with great sadness that I reached the point where he looked out beyond the clouds, quietly got up and vacated his venerated crewroom seat for the last time. If we didn't get to say a proper goodbye, we can be sure that he - while modestly denying it - was touched by the deep affection that was so often expressed here.
What a loss, and what a wonderful character. As we say in the island a bit to the left of Liverpool where his people came from, his likes will not be seen again. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.