Nollaig Ó GadhraNOLLAIG Ó Gadhra, the writer, historian, broadcaster, lecturer, and former president of Conradh na Gaeilge who has died aged 64, has been described as the conscience of the nation through his commitment to the Irish language.
It was during his term as president of Conradh na Gaeilge from 2004 to 2005 that the organisation campaigned to have Irish recognised as an official EU language, and he was also a founder member of Teilifís na Gaeilge, now known as TG4.
Nollaig Ó Gadhra was born in Co Limerick and was educated at St Mary's Secondary School, Drumcolliher, Co Limerick, and in De La Salle boarding school in Waterford. He pursued his early journalistic career in Dublin, having graduated with a BA in Irish and history from University College Cork in 1966, where future broadcaster and journalist Eoghan Harris was among his fellow students.
He worked for RTÉ as a current affairs producer and for the Irish language publication Inniu from 1966, and in 1969 he left Dublin for north America to study at Harvard University. He cited US linguist, author and philosopher Noam Chomsky and Prof John A Murphy among those who had greatest influence on him during his time in the US.
He returned to Ireland to take up a post as information officer with Gaeltarra Éireann in 1970, and became publicity manager for Ireland-West Tourism in Galway. He was then appointed lecturer for Irish, communications, European studies and modern history at Galway Regional Technical College in 1974, and worked at what became Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) for most of his professional life.
He and his wife, Máirín, daughter of author Seán Uí Chonghaile, had by then settled in Furbo, Co Galway, where they reared their three children. One of his journalism students recalls how many were unaware of his achievements, knowing him only as the lecturer in dark suit with a cream transistor pressed to his ear, tuned into a "barely audible Raidió na Gaeltachta". Invariably, hands were pressed into a bag of Tayto crisps to stave off the effects of diabetes.
He was named as member of Comhairle Theilifís na Gaeilge in 1994, and continued to teach and work as a journalist, contributing to Irish language publications, writing short stories and poetry.
He published a number of biographies on figures including the Indian political and spiritual leader, Mahatma Gandhi (Dublin, 1969), the Irish-born poet and novelist John Boyle O'Reilly (Dublin, 1976), the Christian Brothers schools founder, Edmund Ignatius Rice (Dublin, 1977), and Chicago mayor Richard J Daley (Dublin, 1979). The latter has been described as one of the most comprehensive biographies ever written in the Irish language.
He was also author of a number of other works, including Guth an Phobail (Dublin, 1984); Éire agus Polaitíocht na hEorpa (Dublin, 1986); and An Chéad Dáil Éireann, 1919-1921 (Dublin, 1989). Several of his essays secured Oireachtas na Gaeilge awards and he was given the Butler prize for literature by the Irish American Cultural Institute in 1982. In April 2007 he was presented with the Gradam an Phiarsaigh in recognition of his role in upholding the values and ideals of the 1916 Rising leader, Patrick Pearse.
He was member of Conradh na Gaeilge's executive committee, held the post of president (2004-2005), and has been described by current president Daithí Mac Cárthaigh as a "kind, compassionate man, full of drive, determination and innovation in every aspect of his promotion of the Irish language".
Mr Ó Gadhra had "never hesitated to speak out or to take on the difficult task of defending the rights of Irish speakers, and he motivated many others to play active roles in the language movement", he said.
Nollaig Ó Gadhra: born December 16th, 1943; died August 13th, 2008