Nollaig Ó Gadhra facts for kids

Nollaig Ó Gadhra (Irish pronunciation: [ˈn̪ˠɔl̪ˠəɟ oː ˈɡəiɾˠə]; 16 December 1943 – 13 August 2008) was an important person in Ireland. He was an Irish-language activist, a journalist, and a historian. He worked hard to promote the Irish language and culture.

From 2004 to 2005, he was the president of Conradh na Gaeilge. This is an organization that works to keep the Irish language alive and strong. Nollaig Ó Gadhra also helped to start Teilifís na Gaeilge, which is now known as TG4. This is a TV channel that broadcasts in Irish.

Early Life and Education

Nollaig Ó Gadhra was born on 16 December 1943. He grew up on a family farm in Feenagh, County Limerick, Ireland. His parents had moved back to Ireland from the United States.

He went to primary school in Feenagh. Later, he attended secondary schools in Dromcollogher and Waterford. After finishing school, Nollaig went to University College Cork. In 1966, he earned a degree in both the Irish language and History. He also got a special diploma to become a teacher.

A Career in Media and Education

After college, Nollaig Ó Gadhra moved to Dublin. He started his career as a journalist. He wrote for newspapers and worked in television.

Working as a Journalist

In 1966, he began writing for Inniu, an Irish language publication. He also started working at RTÉ, Ireland's national broadcaster. There, he was a presenter and producer for Irish-language news shows. For a few years, he lived in Boston, in the United States. During that time, he briefly studied at Harvard University.

From 1970 to 1972, Nollaig worked for Gaeltarra Éireann. This was a group that helped develop areas where Irish is still spoken. After that, he became a publicity manager for Ireland West Tourism in Galway. He and his family then moved from Dublin to County Galway.

Teaching and Television

In 1974, Nollaig Ó Gadhra became a teacher. He taught at Galway Regional Technical College. This college is now called Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology. He taught many subjects, including journalism, the Irish language, and modern history. He continued to teach there for the rest of his career.

Nollaig was a very important person in starting Teilifís na Gaeilge in 1994. This is the Irish-language TV station now known as TG4. He often appeared on news and current affairs programs on TG4, like Seacht Lá. His daughter has also presented this show since 2018. Nollaig also kept working as a writer for newspapers and magazines, including the Limerick Leader.

Writing Books

Nollaig Ó Gadhra wrote many important books. He wrote biographies, which are life stories, about famous people. These included Edmund Ignatius Rice, Mahatma Gandhi, and Mayor of Chicago Richard J. Daley. Many of his books were written in Irish first.

His Irish-language biography of Richard Daley is considered one of the best books ever written in the language. He also wrote a very important book about the First Dáil. This book is seen as a key history of that time. For many years, Nollaig was one of the few authors who wrote in the Irish language. Much of his writing, including short stories and poems, was first in Irish.

Later Years and Legacy

Nollaig Ó Gadhra passed away on 13 August 2008. He was 64 years old. He died at his home in Furbo, in Connemara. His funeral was held at Furbo Parish Church. He was survived by his wife, Mairín, and their three children.

Many people shared their sadness at his passing. The Taoiseach, Brian Cowen, said Nollaig was a "proud Irishman." He added that Nollaig "always stood strong on behalf of Irish culture." Éamon Ó Cuív, who was a government minister, also spoke. He said Nollaig was "always ready to share his knowledge and his ideas."

In late 2017, a book was launched in his memory. His eldest daughter helped create this book.