RTÉ broadcaster and folklorist dies aged 84

THE DEATH has taken place of long-time broadcaster and folklorist Ciarán Mac Mathúna at the age of 84.

A native of Co Limerick, Mr Mac Mathúna broadcast on RTÉ radio for 50 years, first with his groundbreaking A Job of Journeyworkprogramme, and then with the Mo Cheol Thúprogramme, which ran from 1970 until his retirement in 2005.

Combining an “unashamedly nostalgic and wistful” mix of poetry, ballads and traditional music, all delivered with Mr Mac Mathúna’s gentle broadcasting voice, it attracted a loyal audience every Sunday morning.

In an interview with The Irish Times13 years ago, he said the music and poetry was selected "with a view to easing people into Sunday morning", adding that "you don't want a great blast of a céilí band at 8am. It's quiet music and popular poetry yes – there's a lot of blatant nostalgia."

Mr Mac Mathúna was born in Mulgrave Street in Limerick, the youngest of six children. His mother Christine died before his first birthday after a minor operation, but his father, James, a teacher, lived until he was 92.

After studying modern Latin and Irish at UCD, he joined the Placenames Commission in 1952 and then RTÉ as a radio producer in 1955.

He spent the next 15 years travelling at home and abroad, recording traditional music and song for A Job of Journeywork.

He married the well-known folk singer Dolly MacMahon and they had three children. He also left three grandchildren.

He received the Freedom of Limerick City in 2004.

The Taoiseach Brian Cowen paid tribute to the broadcaster last night. “Ciarán was a brilliant broadcaster and authority on Irish music and folklore.

"I enjoyed listening to his programme Mo Cheol Thú, which has a special place in Irish radio programming history over the last number of decades, as it became one of the longest running programmes on radio."

Mr Cowen said that “each programme comprised a mixture of song, poetry and folklore and was much loved by all radio listeners”.

“He was encyclopaedic in his knowledge of Irish traditional music and its artists and for many many decades, wherever good Irish music was played and enjoyed, Ciarán was to be found in its midst,” he added. “He was a passionate and committed collector of Irish music and song, and the country owes him a great debt in that regard.

“He was a much loved figure and he will be missed by all lovers of Irish music, both in Ireland and around the world,” Mr Cowen added.

“My thoughts are with Dolly and their children at this sad time.”