Muiris Mac Conghail (12 May 1941 – 25 November 2019) was an Irish journalist, writer, broadcaster, poet, and film-maker.
Early life
Mac Conghail was born in Dublin, 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 ...
, had been a republican activist during the
Irish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence (), also known as the 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 Unite ...
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, is a public research university in Dublin, Ireland, and a collegiate university, member institution of the National University of Ireland. With 38,417 students, it is Ireland's largest ...
Donal Farmer
Donald is a Scottish masculine given name. It is 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 misinterp ...
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'', 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 () 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 provision reads: "The head of the ...
and Head of the Government Information Bureau. I
H,e 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, ...
, former Director of the
Abbey Theatre
The Abbey Theatre (), also known as the National Theatre of Ireland () is a theatre in Dublin, Ireland. First opening to the public on 27 December 1904, and moved from its original building after a fire in 1951, it has remained active to the p ...
.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 in ''Unquiet Spirit: Essays in memory of David Thornley''. Edited by Yseult Thornley (Liberties Press)