'A long life lived richly': Cork teacher dies weeks after celebrating 70th wedding anniversary 

"A man who always put others first" and "the solid foundation for 50 years for the education of generations of local people" is how Cúil Aodha composer Peadar Ó Riada described the former school principal who died this week just two weeks after celebrating his 70th wedding anniversary.

Mícheál Ó Lionáird, 95, died peacefully at home in Gort na Scairte, Baile Mhúirne, on Monday.

Just a fortnight previously, he and his wife Maighréad had celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary by attending mass in St. Gobnait’s Church, Baile Mhúirne, where they had married on January 2, 1954.

Embedded in the community 

Mr. Ó Lionáird is originally from Rinnarogy Island, Baltimore and had moved to Baile Mhúirne in the 1950s where he began his professional life as a woodwork teacher. 

He taught in the local technical school, Gairmscoil Ghobnatan, and in Scoil Mhuire in nearby Béal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh and held night classes in the locality also before being appointed principal of Gairmscoil Ghobnatan. 

He served in that post for several decades before retiring. 

The school is now known as Coláiste Ghobnatan having amalgamated with the Baile Mhúirne boarding school, Coláiste Íosagáin, when it closed during the 1990s.

He is survived by his wife, Maighréad, as well as nine sons, Risteard, Dónal, Peadar, Breandán, Seán, Tadhg, Iarla, Eoghan and Páidí as well as his daughter, Eibhlín, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. 

He was predeceased by his son, Mícheál Máirtín, who died in a motorcycle accident in 1979, and daughter, Bríd, in 2018.

'A solid foundation'

Peadar Ó Riada, the composer and a neighbour of the Ó Lionáird family, said that Mícheál had played a key role in the development of Ionad Cultúrtha an Dochtúir Ó Loinsigh on the campus of the school where he had led the provision of education for generations of local students.

“Mícheál Ó Lionáird was the solid foundation for 50 years for the education of generations of local people.

“He understood the vital role culture played in the development of the individual and society and he promoted it,” said Mr. Ó Riada. 

“He was instrumental in developing the Ionad Cultúrtha on the site of the school in Baile Mhúirne.

“He was born on an island and he retained that island spirit in his heart, he was the essence of nobility and epitomized the best aspects of the Gael.

“He never put himself before anybody else and was very humble.”

In a Facebook post, his son Iarla, who is the internationally acclaimed singer, said his father ‘radiated with love and positive affirmation’ and ‘wore his many achievements so lightly’.

“A long life lived richly and generously, by any measure the most impressive man I have known.” 

Mícheál Ó Lionáird will be laid to rest in Reilig Ghobnatan/St. Gobnait’s Cemetery after 12.30pm mass on Friday in the church in Cúil Aodha where he was a regular mass-goer for decades.