Muiris Mac Conghail (12 May 1941 – 25 November 2019) was an

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

journalist, writer, broadcaster, poet and film-maker.

Early life

Mac Conghail was born in

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 ...

, son of artists Marcus Mac Conighail and Aida Kelly. His father, a cousin of

Harry Clarke Henry Patrick Clarke (17 March 1889 – 6 January 1931) was an Irish stained-glass artist and book illustrator. Born in Dublin, he was a leading figure in the Irish Arts and Crafts Movement. His work was influenced by both the Art Nouveau a ...

, had been a republican activist during the

Irish War of Independence The Irish War of Independence () or Anglo-Irish War was a guerrilla war fought in Ireland from 1919 to 1921 between the Irish Republican Army (1919–1922), Irish Republican Army (IRA, the army of the Irish Republic) and United Kingdom of Gre ...

before studying, and then teaching, at the RHA schools. Mac Conghail was educated at

University College Dublin University College Dublin (commonly referred to as UCD) ( ga, Coláiste na hOllscoile, Baile Átha Cliath) is a public research university in Dublin, Ireland, and a collegiate university, member institution of the National University of Ireland ...

Career

He joined Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ) in the 1960s, one of a group of young broadcasters which included Aindreas Ó Gallchóir,

Breandán Ó hEithir Breandán Ó hEithir (18 January 1930 – 26 October 1990) was an Irish writer and broadcaster.James Plunkett Kelly James is a common English language surname and given name: * James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambigua ...

Donal Farmer Donald is a masculine given name derived from the Gaelic name ''Dòmhnall''.. This comes from the Proto-Celtic *''Dumno-ualos'' ("world-ruler" or "world-wielder"). The final -''d'' in ''Donald'' is partly derived from a misinterpretation of the ...

and

Seán Mac Réamoinn __NOTOC__ Seán Mac Réamoinn (27 November 1921 – 17 January 2007) was an Irish journalist and broadcaster. He took a deep interest in Irish culture and language and religious affairs. Mac Réamoinn was born in Birmingham, the third child of J ...

. He became producer and editor of the current affairs programme ''

7 Days Seven Days or 7 Days may refer to: * Week, an amount of time Film * 7 Days (2010 film), ''7 Days'' (2010 film) (''Les 7 jours du talion''), Canadian thriller film * 7 Days (2021 film), ''7 Days'' (2021 film), American romantic comedy film * Seven ...

'', which started broadcasting in 1966. He won a Jacob's Television Award in 1967 and 1985. In May 1973, he was appointed Assistant Secretary at the

Department of the Taoiseach The Department of the Taoiseach ( ga, Roinn an Taoisigh) is the government department of the Taoiseach, the title in Ireland for the head of government.Article 13.1.1° and Article 28.5.1° of the Constitution of Ireland. The latter provisi ...

and Head of the Government Information Bureau. He was RTÉ Controller of Programmes, television, 1977–1980 and 1983–1986. In 2001 he delivered the Thomas Davis Lecture to mark the 75th anniversary of Radio Éireann -'Politics by Wireless'.

Personal life

Mac Conghail married Máire Doran and they have five children, including

Fiach Fiach is an Irish male given name. It may refer to: * Saint Fiacc, fifth-century bishop of Sletty in Ireland * Fiach McHugh O'Byrne (1534–1597) Irish chief * Fiach Mac Conghail (born 1964) Irish theatre director and Senator * Fiach Moriarty, I ...

, former Director of the

Abbey Theatre The Abbey Theatre ( ga, Amharclann na Mainistreach), also known as the National Theatre of Ireland ( ga, Amharclann Náisiúnta na hÉireann), in Dublin, Ireland, is one of the country's leading cultural institutions. First opening to the pu ...

.Family
/ref> They separated in the 2000 and divorced in 2007. Mac Conghail married Mary Malone in 2008: they had lived together for the previous 16 years.

Select writings

* ''Aghaidheanna Fidil Agus Puicini'' (Biography of George Thompson) * ''Island Funeral'' (1965) * ''The Blaskets: A Kerry Island Library'' (1987) * ''The Blaskets — People and Literature'' * ''Politics by Wireless: News and Current Affairs on Radio'', 1926–2000 (2001) * Essay on

David Thornley David Thornley (31 July 1935 – 18 June 1978) was an Irish Labour Party politician and university professor at Trinity College Dublin. Life Born in Surrey, England, David Thornley took out Irish citizenship. He received a BA and PhD at Trin ...

in ''Unquiet Spirit: Essays in memory of David Thornley''. Edited by Yseult Thornley (Liberties Press)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mac Conghail, Muiris 1941 births 2019 deaths 20th-century Irish writers 21st-century Irish writers Irish-language writers Alumni of University College Dublin Irish broadcasters Irish television producers Jacob's Award winners Mass media people from Dublin (city) RTÉ executives RTÉ newsreaders and journalists Mac Conghail family