Breandán Ó Buachalla
Encyclopedia
Professor Breandán Ó Buachalla (1936 – 20 May 2010) was an Irish
scholar of the Irish language
. According to Raidió Teilifís Éireann
, he was "the leading authority on Gaelic poetry and writing in early modern Ireland" and "one of the most prominent Irish language academics of his generation". The Irish Times
described him as "eminent". His magnum opus
was his seventeenth century literary and political study, Aisling Ghéar.
Ó Buachalla was born in County Cork
in 1936 and went to school at Saint Nessan's Christian Brothers School. He attended University College Cork from which he obtained a degree in Celtic studies
. He taught at Queen's University Belfast and was a Professor of Irish at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies's School of Celtic Studies for five years between 1973 and 1978. Following this Ó Buachalla was Professor of Modern Irish Language and Literature at University College Dublin
for eighteen years between 1978 and 1996. He was a visiting professor at three institutes in the United States
: these were the University of Notre Dame
, New York University
, and Boston College
. He also achieved the Parnell Fellowship at the University of Cambridge
in the United Kingdom
.
He married his wife, Aingeal. She outlived him. The couple had three children, daughters, Bridóg and Clíona, and son, Traolach. Following his death in 2010, Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport, Mary Hanafin
, paid tribute, calling Ó Buachalla "a giant among his peers" and lamenting that "his passing is more than a personal loss to his family, it is a great loss also to the Irish language and learning".
Among his other works are I mBeal Feirste Cois Cuain, Peadar O Doirnin: amhrain, Nua-Dhuanaire II, Cathal Bui: amhrain, and Na Stiobhartaigh agus an tAos Leinn: King Seamas.
Breandán Ó Buachalla died on 20 May 2010 after suffering a heart attack
at his home in Dublin. He was 74.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
scholar of the Irish language
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
. According to Raidió Teilifís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making...
, he was "the leading authority on Gaelic poetry and writing in early modern Ireland" and "one of the most prominent Irish language academics of his generation". The Irish Times
The Irish Times
The Irish Times is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Kevin O'Sullivan who succeeded Geraldine Kennedy in 2011; the deputy editor is Paul O'Neill. The Irish Times is considered to be Ireland's newspaper of record, and is published every day except Sundays...
described him as "eminent". His magnum opus
Magnum opus
Magnum opus , from the Latin meaning "great work", refers to the largest, and perhaps the best, greatest, most popular, or most renowned achievement of a writer, artist, or composer.-Related terms:Sometimes the term magnum opus is used to refer to simply "a great work" rather than "the...
was his seventeenth century literary and political study, Aisling Ghéar.
Ó Buachalla was born in County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
in 1936 and went to school at Saint Nessan's Christian Brothers School. He attended University College Cork from which he obtained a degree in Celtic studies
Celtic Studies
Celtic studies is the academic discipline occupied with the study of any sort of cultural output relating to a Celtic people. This ranges from linguistics, literature and art history archaeology and history, the focus lying on the study of the various Celtic languages, living and extinct...
. He taught at Queen's University Belfast and was a Professor of Irish at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies's School of Celtic Studies for five years between 1973 and 1978. Following this Ó Buachalla was Professor of Modern Irish Language and Literature at University College Dublin
University College Dublin
University College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
for eighteen years between 1978 and 1996. He was a visiting professor at three institutes in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
: these were the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
, New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
, and Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
. He also achieved the Parnell Fellowship at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
He married his wife, Aingeal. She outlived him. The couple had three children, daughters, Bridóg and Clíona, and son, Traolach. Following his death in 2010, Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport, Mary Hanafin
Mary Hanafin
Mary Hanafin is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who was a Teachta Dála for Dún Laoghaire from 1997 to 2011. She served as Government Chief Whip , Minister for Education and Science , Minister for Social and Family Affairs , Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport and Minister for Enterprise,...
, paid tribute, calling Ó Buachalla "a giant among his peers" and lamenting that "his passing is more than a personal loss to his family, it is a great loss also to the Irish language and learning".
Among his other works are I mBeal Feirste Cois Cuain, Peadar O Doirnin: amhrain, Nua-Dhuanaire II, Cathal Bui: amhrain, and Na Stiobhartaigh agus an tAos Leinn: King Seamas.
Breandán Ó Buachalla died on 20 May 2010 after suffering a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
at his home in Dublin. He was 74.
External links
- Profile
- "Obituary: Authority and author on early modern Irish", Irish Times, 5 June 2010.