Lorcán Ó Treasaigh: Lorcán Ó Treasaigh, who has died aged 79, was a writer in Irish, an actor and a compere on the radio train that in the 1950s and 1960s brought overseas visitors to Connemara and Killarney.
In addition to writing poetry and fiction, he wrote 20 plays for Raidió Éireann, including a crime series, Seán Bailf, Bleachtaire. His translation of Brendan Behan's An Giall was produced at the Lyric Theatre, Belfast, and broadcast by the BBC.
A stage, television and radio actor, he also appeared in a number of television commercials - most famously the "TV Spongers" campaign over 30 years ago.
Born in Dún Laoghaire in November 1927, he was one of the four children of Lorcán Ó Treasaigh and his wife Julia (née Kelly). He was educated locally by the Christian Brothers and on finishing school, secured a position with the accounts department of Córas Iompar Éireann. When CIÉ introduced radio trains in the early 1950s, a competition was held to find suitable comperes and he was one of two entrants to be appointed.
The radio trains were primarily geared to tourism, travelling from Dublin to Galway and Killarney. They were equipped with radio studios and the comperes played records to entertain passengers, selecting the music and also playing requests. They provided commentaries on places of interest along the route, delving into folklore and history, telling stories and reciting poetry as appropriate.
On arriving at their destination, passengers were served lunch. Afterwards, they visited local beauty spots. Before returning to Dublin, they were given high tea. Occasionally banquets at Bunratty and Knappogue castles were included in the trips.
Lorcán Ó Treasaigh enjoyed his work immensely and sought to welcome passengers in their native language, speaking French, Italian and Spanish in his commentaries. The excursions were highly popular among Americans, and some US companies offered them as rewards to hardworking employees.
The radio trains also carried pilgrims from around the country to visit the Marian shrine at Knock, Co Mayo. On such occasions, a special ambulance coach was attached to the train. This included kitchen, toilets and special facilities for passengers with disabilities. The radio carriage provided an organ, and all on the train could hear and join with the rosaries and hymns.
The radio train gradually gave way to luxury tour buses, and in the early 1970s, the excursions ceased. (Pilgrimages by train continued into the 1980s). Around the same time, Lorcán Ó Treasaigh was forced to take extended sick leave following an accident. When he returned to full-time work, he joined the CIÉ publicity department and edited the information bulletin Nuacht.
While on leave, he took the opportunity to write. A book of poetry, Seamair, was published in 1972. His collected short stories, Uisce Báis agus Beatha (1975), won an Oireachtas prize and he also won an RTÉ prize for his verse play, Tairseach Neimhe.
A novel, An Doras Grianlasta (1983), is set against the background of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. His translations of poems by Yeats are in the collection Byzantium (1991), edited by Gabriel Rosenstock and Gearailt Mac Eoin, and a memoir, Turas Éireannn, was published in 1997.
He married Cáit Ní Shiúrdán in 1955, a sister of the actor Tom Jordan ("Charlie" in Fair City) and well known for her work with Raidió na Gaeltachta. His son, Lorcán S. Ó Treasaigh, is also a writer in Irish.
His hobbies included swimming, gardening and music. A fine tenor, as a young man he took singing lessons with Maestro Vianni. A devoted family man, he and his wife raised their children as Irish speakers.
He is survived by his wife, sons Seán and Lorcán, daughters Siobhán, Caitríona and Bríd.
Lorcán Ó Treasaigh: born November 20th, 1927; died October 22nd, 2006