Michael Anthony Brennan, usually known as Joe, was born on 8 September 1925 in Manchester. He was the son of Thomas Edward Brennan, manager of Finnigan's of Deansgate, Manchester, and Frances, née Mahon. He was educated at St Joseph's School, Moss Side, and Xaverian College, Victoria Park, under its renowned headmaster Br. Eugene and contemporaneously with the novelist Anthony Burgess. He proceeded to Manchester University Medical School, qualifying in 1948. He was house surgeon to Sir Harry Platt (qv *Lives* 1983-90). At that time the formative post for the surgical aspirant was resident surgical officer and he served as such at the Royal Infirmary under 'Tiny' Holt, and at Ancoats Hospital. He passed the Fellowship in 1954 and was later senior registrar at the Royal Infirmary and Crumpsall Hospital under Mr Haxton; in 1962 he was appointed consultant general surgeon to the latter hospital. He transferred to Blackburn Royal Infirmary in 1967 and subsequently joined the staff at the Accrington Memorial Hospital. His life's work took place at these hospitals until 1986 when, due to ill health, he took early retirement. He served as a member of the North West Regional Health Authority from 1982 to 1986. He was a popular President of the Manchester Medical Society, Surgical Section, in 1984 and in the same year President of the Manchester Regional Association of Surgeons. In his technique he was slow and meticulous and maintained the Moynihan tradition of quiet at all times in theatre. Blessed with an aversion to waste, he ensured that every length of catgut was used down to the last quarter of an inch and he saved many serviceable articles which otherwise would have been thrown away. A committed surgeon, he was popular both with his colleagues and family doctors, and was a strong supporter of the NHS who was not greatly interested in private practice. In home life he was a great gardener and loved foreign travel. He retired to Cheltenham where he died from coronary thrombosis on 11 January 1995, survived by his wife Dr Mary Thérèse Brennan whom he had married on 1 June 1954, and their children Martin, Noëlle, Anthony and Deirdre and eight grandchildren.