Nollaig Ó Gadhra
Encyclopedia
Nollaig Ó Gadhra (ˈn̪ˠɔl̪ˠəɟ oː ˈɡəiɾˠə; December 16, 1943 – August 13, 2008) was an Irish-language activist, journalist
and historian
in Ireland
. He was president of Conradh na Gaeilge
from 2004 to 2005. He was also a founding member of Teilifís na Gaeilge.
in 1943. His parents had returned to Ireland
from the United States
. He attended the Feenagh primary school before enrolling at the Scoil Mhuire secondary school in Dromcollogher and De La Salle residential school in Waterford
.
Ó Gadhra studied at University College Cork, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree
in Irish
and History
in 1966. He also earned a teaching diploma
from UCC as well.
publication, Inniu in 1966. He also began working as a presenter
and television producer
at RTÉ
's Irish language
current affairs
division. He moved to the United States for a few years, settling in Boston
, where he briefly attended Harvard University
.
He took a position as an information officer with Gaeltarra Éireann
from 1970 until 1972. He then left and became a publicity manager for Ireland West Tourism, based in Galway
, until 1974. He and his family relocated from Dublin to County Galway
during this time period.
In 1974, Ó Gadhra became a lecturer of journalism, Irish language, communications, European studies and modern history at Galway Regional Technical College (now Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology
. He continued to lecture at GMIT for the remainder of his career.
He was a founding member of Teilifís na Gaeilge in 1994, an Irish-language television station now known as TG4
. He contributed to news and current affairs programs on TG4, including Seacht Lá. Ó Gadhra also continued to work as a correspondent for newspapers and magazines throughout Ireland including the Limerick Leader
.
He authored several important academic works, including biographies of Edmund Ignatius Rice
, Mahatma Gandhi
, Mayor of Chicago Richard J. Daley
and John Boyle O'Reilly
, many of which were written in Irish. Ó Gadhra's Irish-language biography of Richard Daley is considered to be one of the most thorough and comprehensive biographies ever written in the language, according to the current president of Conradh na Gaeilge
, Daithí Mac Carthaigh. He also wrote a landmark book on the First Dáil
which is regarded by some as an authoritative history on the subject.
For years, he was one of the only authors who contributed works to Irish language literary genre
. Much of his journalistic writings, short stories, poems and books were written exclusively in Irish, before later being translated into English.
, in Connemara
. He had reportedly been ill for some time before his death. His funeral mass was held at Furbo Parish Church. He was survived by his wife, Mairín, and three children, Mairin, Daithí and Siobhán.
Taoiseach
Brian Cowen
paid tribute to Ó Gadhra saying, "He was a proud Irishman who always stood strong on behalf of Irish culture. He was also an eminent historian who contributed much to our understanding of modern Ireland." Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs
Éamon Ó Cuív
also reacted, "I had known Nollaig for many years, was in regular contact with him. He was always ready to share his knowledge and his ideas."
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
in Ireland
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,...
. He was president of Conradh na Gaeilge
Conradh na Gaeilge
Conradh na Gaeilge is a non-governmental organisation that promotes the Irish language in Ireland and abroad. The motto of the League is Sinn Féin, Sinn Féin amháin .-Origins:...
from 2004 to 2005. He was also a founding member of Teilifís na Gaeilge.
Early life
Ó Gadhra was born on a family farm in Feenagh, County LimerickFeenagh, County Limerick
Feenagh Co Limerick Feenagh is a village in west County Limerick, Ireland, ten miles from Newcastle West and six miles from Dromcolliher....
in 1943. His parents had returned to Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He attended the Feenagh primary school before enrolling at the Scoil Mhuire secondary school in Dromcollogher and De La Salle residential school in Waterford
Waterford
Waterford is a city in the South-East Region of Ireland. It is the oldest city in the country and fifth largest by population. Waterford City Council is the local government authority for the city and its immediate hinterland...
.
Ó Gadhra studied at University College Cork, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in Irish
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...
and History
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
in 1966. He also earned a teaching diploma
Diploma
A diploma is a certificate or deed issued by an educational institution, such as a university, that testifies that the recipient has successfully completed a particular course of study or confers an academic degree. In countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia, the word diploma refers to...
from UCC as well.
Career
Ó Gadhra relocated to Dublin following his graduation where he began reporting as a journalist for both broadcast and print media. He began working for as a reporter for the Irish languageIrish 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...
publication, Inniu in 1966. He also began working as a presenter
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
and television producer
Television producer
The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
at RTÉ
RTE
RTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...
's 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...
current affairs
Current affairs (news format)
Current Affairs is a genre of broadcast journalism where the emphasis is on detailed analysis and discussion of news stories that have recently occurred or are ongoing at the time of broadcast....
division. He moved to the United States for a few years, settling in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, where he briefly attended Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
.
He took a position as an information officer with Gaeltarra Éireann
Gaeltarra Éireann
Gaeltarra Éireann was an Irish state industrial development agency set up in 1957 specifically for the Gaeltacht, the Irish speaking areas of Ireland...
from 1970 until 1972. He then left and became a publicity manager for Ireland West Tourism, based in Galway
Galway
Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
, until 1974. He and his family relocated from Dublin to County Galway
County Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
during this time period.
In 1974, Ó Gadhra became a lecturer of journalism, Irish language, communications, European studies and modern history at Galway Regional Technical College (now Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology
Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology
Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology is a third level institute of education and is based at five locations in the west of Ireland.-Galway Campus:...
. He continued to lecture at GMIT for the remainder of his career.
He was a founding member of Teilifís na Gaeilge in 1994, an Irish-language television station now known as TG4
TG4
TG4 is a public service broadcaster for Irish language speakers. The channel has been on-air since 31 October 1996 in the Republic of Ireland and since April 2005 in Northern Ireland....
. He contributed to news and current affairs programs on TG4, including Seacht Lá. Ó Gadhra also continued to work as a correspondent for newspapers and magazines throughout Ireland including the Limerick Leader
Limerick Leader
The Limerick Leader is a weekly local newspaper in Limerick, Ireland. It was founded in 1889. The newspaper is headquartered on O'Connell Street....
.
He authored several important academic works, including biographies of Edmund Ignatius Rice
Edmund Ignatius Rice
Blessed Edmund Ignatius Rice , was a Roman Catholic missionary and educationalist. Edmund was the founder of two orders of religious brothers: the Congregation of Christian Brothers and the Presentation Brothers....
, Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
, Mayor of Chicago Richard J. Daley
Richard J. Daley
Richard Joseph Daley served for 21 years as the mayor and undisputed Democratic boss of Chicago and is considered by historians to be the "last of the big city bosses." He played a major role in the history of the Democratic Party, especially with his support of John F...
and John Boyle O'Reilly
John Boyle O'Reilly
John Boyle O'Reilly was an Irish-born poet, journalist and fiction writer. As a youth in Ireland, he was a member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, or Fenians, for which he was transported to Western Australia...
, many of which were written in Irish. Ó Gadhra's Irish-language biography of Richard Daley is considered to be one of the most thorough and comprehensive biographies ever written in the language, according to the current president of Conradh na Gaeilge
Conradh na Gaeilge
Conradh na Gaeilge is a non-governmental organisation that promotes the Irish language in Ireland and abroad. The motto of the League is Sinn Féin, Sinn Féin amháin .-Origins:...
, Daithí Mac Carthaigh. He also wrote a landmark book on the First Dáil
First Dáil
The First Dáil was Dáil Éireann as it convened from 1919–1921. In 1919 candidates who had been elected in the Westminster elections of 1918 refused to recognise the Parliament of the United Kingdom and instead assembled as a unicameral, revolutionary parliament called "Dáil Éireann"...
which is regarded by some as an authoritative history on the subject.
For years, he was one of the only authors who contributed works to Irish language literary genre
Literary genre
A literary genre is a category of literary composition. Genres may be determined by literary technique, tone, content, or even length. Genre should not be confused with age category, by which literature may be classified as either adult, young-adult, or children's. They also must not be confused...
. Much of his journalistic writings, short stories, poems and books were written exclusively in Irish, before later being translated into English.
Death
Ó Gadhra died on 13 August 2008, at the age of 64 at his home in FurboFurbo, County Galway
Na Forbacha is a settlement with a population of around 800 in Connemara, County Galway, Ireland. It lies along the coast between Barna and Spiddal. It is a Gaeltacht area where Irish is the main language used in the school, church and at community meetings. The figure for those who self-report as...
, in Connemara
Connemara
Connemara is a district in the west of Ireland consisting of a broad peninsula between Killary Harbour and Kilkieran Bay in the west of County Galway.-Overview:...
. He had reportedly been ill for some time before his death. His funeral mass was held at Furbo Parish Church. He was survived by his wife, Mairín, and three children, Mairin, Daithí and Siobhán.
Taoiseach
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
Brian Cowen
Brian Cowen
Brian Cowen is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 7 May 2008 to 9 March 2011. He was head of a coalition government led by Fianna Fáil which until 23 January 2011 had the support of the Green Party and independent TDs.Cowen was also leader of Fianna Fáil from 7 May...
paid tribute to Ó Gadhra saying, "He was a proud Irishman who always stood strong on behalf of Irish culture. He was also an eminent historian who contributed much to our understanding of modern Ireland." Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs
Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs
The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs is a senior minister at the Department of Children and Youth Affairs in the Government of Ireland.The current Minister for Children and Youth Affairs is Frances Fitzgerald, TD.-Overview:...
Éamon Ó Cuív
Éamon Ó Cuív
Éamon Ó Cuív is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He has been a Teachta Dála for the Galway West constituency since 1992 and was previously a member of Seanad Éireann.-Early life:...
also reacted, "I had known Nollaig for many years, was in regular contact with him. He was always ready to share his knowledge and his ideas."