Donall O Morain, former chairman of GaelLinn and the RTE Authority, and one of the most significant figures in the Irish language movement, died on January 11th aged 77.
He dedicated his life to the revival of the Irish language and, through Gael-Linn, pioneered film production, recording of traditional music and Gaeltacht industry. His career with the RTE Authority spanned 11 years and were some of the most innovative and troubled periods of broadcasting in the State.
Donall O Morain was born in Waterville, Co Kerry, in September 1923 to Eibhlin and Micheal O Morain, a farmer who later served in the Irish Free State army until the mutiny of 1924. His mother, Eibhlin ni Loinsigh was a sister of Fionan Lynch TD. His mother died When he was 12 and he was brought to Dublin to live with his aunt Brid ni Lionsigh.
He was educated at Colaiste Mhuire in Parnell Square, and afterwards studied history and economics at UCD, and law at King's Inns. He was called to the Bar in 1946 but never practised.
He became involved in the Gaelic movement at UCD, where he and others saw concern for the language as inseparable from a broader commitment to national development in the social and cultural arenas. The first platform from which he found it possible to promote the language was the inter-university Gaelic alliance, An Comhchaidreamh. This brought together the Gaelic societies of Irish universities North and South. He wrote for its magazine, Comhar, and was involved in controversy when it supported Dr Noel Browne at the time of the Mother and Child Scheme.
He edited the food trade journal, RGDATA Review, from 1946 to 1951, before joining Hugh MacLoughlin's Fleet/Creation printing and publishing group as general manager.
Donall O Morain married Maire (nee Beaumont) in January 1949. They had two daughters and three sons.
In 1953, he helped found Gael-Linn on a £100 bank loan and by running football pools. It quickly asserted itself with an innovative and daring approach to restoring the Irish language.
Donall O Morain was appointed to the RTE Authority in 1965 and succeeded Todd Andrews as chairman in 1970. The following year Section 31 of the Broadcasting Act was introduced by the minister for posts and telegraphs, Gerry Collins, to prohibit broadcasting the views of the Provisional IRA.
In 1972, the authority was given an ultimatum to "take appropriate action" by Collins, after broadcasting a radio interview with the Provisional IRA leader, Sean Mac Stiofain. Two days later the authority was dismissed.
Donall O Morain spoke out against the decision, defending both the authority and the RTE staff involved. He said the Section 31 directive was "so imprecise as to be unsatisfactory in principle and to place an unfair burden on the RTE Authority".
While he had no sympathy for the Provisional IRA, he also objected to the principle of censorship. Shortly after the affair, he wrote: "Those who would wish for the victory of truth should be the most adamant in demanding broadcasting time for the person whose political, religious, social or cultural doctrine they themselves regard as being fundamentally false."
In 1973, he was again appointed chairman of the authority by the Coalition government. He resigned unexpectedly three years later. Later he commented: "In any large organisation, and especially in a newspaper or a broadcasting organisation, there is always ongoing intrigue at different levels . . . in that vortex, perhaps, things happened," he commented.
Donall O Morain's 11-year period of involvement with the RTE Authority saw many changes and advances in Irish broadcasting. Among them, the introduction of colour television, the inception of Raidio na Gaeltachta and the planning of the RTE 2 (now Network 2).
Raidio na Gaeltachta was a source of particular pride to him. He served on its governing body, Comhairle Raidio na Gaeltachta, for five years and said of the station: "This authentic voice of the traditionally Irish-speaking population is of outstanding importance to the future of the Gaeltacht. It is also an excellent prototype for the development of the best type of local radio for other identifiable communities in Ireland."
Donall O Morain was interested in the European Community and strongly supported the work of the European Bureau for Lesser Used Languages.
He was chairman of the convocation of the National University of Ireland for many years and was presented with an honorary doctorate by the NUI in 1975.
He served for many years on Comhairle na Gaeilge - a forerunner of Bord na Gaeilge, and often decried the lack of any State planning for the language. In 1970, he said that the future of Ireland as a separate nation was in peril if there was no plan for the language by the 1980s.
When Gael-Linn established the Irish-language weekly Anois in 1984, Donall O Morain was appointed managing editor. He remained in that post until 1996 and was still working at its offices in Merrion Square until recently.
Donall O Morain is survived by his wife Mairie, daughters, Iseult (Kelly) and Muireann, and sons Feargal, Eoin and Conall, and brother Jackie.
Donall O Morain: born 1923; died, January 2001