By the miracle of the wondrous Brais-o-phone I have only just learned from the gadget-obsessed practitioner of micro-journalism of the death of the world's second greatest living Irishman.
Beetling its way gradually - almost in a stately way - through the many miles of underground tunnels that connect the startlingly modern Brais-o-phone to anywhere in the world within a radius of up to 400 yards, the news came to me of the passing over of Patrick Magee.
A major star in the 1960's with his trademark twirling umbrella and bowling hat, he was involved in a serious and unconsummated affaire d'coeur with his TV partner Emma Peeling.
MacNee then went on to take to the stage as a favourite of Samuel Buckett, renowned Irish playwrite in French, starring in such masterpieces as 'Tapes Last Krapp' and 'Enter Godot'.
Taking his penchant for the absurd to another level, he embarked on what may be television's greatest bonkers programme in the whole history of it excluding 'Pin Tweaks', 'Do Not Adjust Your Self', 'Morton Plimsoll's Frying Crocus', and hundreds of others too hundreds of to put all their names to down here for want of timing available.
I write, of course, of 'The Plumber' in which McGoohan plays a man trapped in a complex system of pipes and is tormented by someone who needs a Number Two. A more detailed synopsis of the whole sorry mess can be found here.
Moving afterwards to the U of S of A to avoid demands for an explanation, he featured a lot in still pictures of him dressed as a priest or driving a wagoon, sometimes both, until he finally fell off his perch.
Well, here's to you Patrick, a free man at last!
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