Denis Crowley, who died on June 24th aged 95, was Emeritus Professor of Agricultural Chemistry at UCD. He is remembered especially for his work as a dedicated teacher and for his loyal service to several organisations. He was born at Lough Gur in Co Limerick, but his parents, who were teachers, transferred to Ballinagar, Co Offaly, in 1915.
He received his secondary education at the Cistercian College, Roscrea and came to study at UCD in 1922. His talents in chemistry were acknowledged when he was chosen to help with the collection of radon gas in the Radium Institute of the Royal Dublin Society. He was awarded the B.Sc degree with honours in chemistry and mathematics in 1925 and gained an M.Sc in chemistry and the Higher Diploma in Education in 1926. He became a member of the Royal Dublin Society in 1929. He was made vice-president of the society in 1971 and awarded honorary life membership in 1991.
After graduation he became a member of the Chemistry Department of UCD and is reputed to be the first to have lectured to UCD students in the Merrion St premises. A famous joint paper that he gave with A.G. Leonard and J.G. Belton, which appeared in the Proceedings of the RDS in 1950, contained results of pioneering work in the measurement of atmospheric pollution in Dublin. The work was undertaken at the Merrion St laboratories. This established his reputation as a researcher and he was elected a Fellow of the Institute of Chemistry in 1958. He was a keen amateur photographer and was president of the Photographic Society of Ireland in 1954, its centenary year.
In 1933, his main lecturing duties were transferred to the UCD Faculty of General Agriculture, at the Albert College in Glasnevin. There he joined George F. O'Sullivan to form the Department of Agricultural Chemistry. Denis Crowley and George O'Sullivan assisted with the early research work on the quality of silage but teaching commitments took first priority.
For much of his career Denis Crowley assisted with the work of the Dublin Scientific Club. He also was a member (and for a time president) of the past-pupils' union of the Cistercian College, Roscrea. His chapter on "Chemistry" in The Royal Dub- lin Society: 1731-1981, is a comprehensive summary of the society's work in that area of science. Its preparation stimulated him to investigate the early writers on agriculture who contributed to the growth of the RDS.
Denis Crowley lived in Clondalkin village with his wife, Marie (nee Glennon), who predeceased him.
Denis Crowley: born 1905; died, June 2000