Máire Ní Mhurchú & Diarmuid Breathnach

Máire Ní Mhurchú

As Cill Chainnigh ó dhúchas, thosaigh Máire ag obair i gcartlann RTÉ i 1968 faoi Dhiarmuid Breathnach. Bheartaíodar tabhairt faoi bheathaisnéisí laochra na Gaeilge a scríobh a luaithe a fógraíodh go raibh Dictionary of Irish Biography á thionscnamh ag Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann. Seacht mbliana is fiche ina dhiaidh sin is ea a d'fhoilsigh an Clóchomhar imleabhar deiridh na sraithe: Beathaisnéis a Naoi: Forlíonadh agus Innéacsanna. Bhronn Ollscoil na hÉireann D. Litt. Celt. oinigh orthu i 2002 agus i 2008 bronnadh Gradam an Oireachtais orthu. Leanadar leis an obair nuair a thairg Ollscoil Chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath agus Cló Iar-chonnacht Beathaisnéis a chur ar líne.

From Co. Kilkenny orginally, in 1968 she went to work in the RTÉ Radio Archives under Diarmuid Breathnach. From 1982, with Diarmuid Breathnach as chief editor, she worked on Beathaisnéis. She retired from RTÉ in 1989 and was then able to work full-time on Beathaisnéis. The last of the nine volumes was published in 2007. She was given the Spirit of Columbus award by the Association of American Women in Ireland, 1994. In 1996 Diarmuid and Máire were awarded Gradam Bhord na Gaeilge. The National University of Ireland awarded them a D. Litt. Celt in 2002, and in 2008 they were presented with Gradam an Oireachtais.

Birth date: 4 August 1932

Place of birth: Stoneen, Co. Kilkenny

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Diarmuid Breathnach

Genres: Biographer, Historian

Ceapadh é ina phríomhleabharlannaí in RTÉ i 1975. I 1987 bheartaigh sé féin agus a chomhghleacaí, Máire Ní Mhurchú, dul i mbun bheathaisnéisí na Gaeilge. Bhí fúthu dúshlán an Dictionary of Irish Biography a thabhairt maidir le laochra na Gaeilge. Údar Almanag Éireannach (An Gúm, 1981) agus Almanag Éireannach 2 (An Gúm, 2001) é. Foilsíodh ábhar leis in Comhar, Scéala Éireann, Feasta, ach is le Beathaisnéis Iml. 1–9, agus ar a bhfuil de ar líne ar ainm.ie, a bhí a dhúthracht caite aige le breis agus tríocha bliain. I 1996 tugadh Gradam Bhord na Gaeilge dó féin agus do Mháire; bhronn Ollscoil na hÉireann, Má Nuad, dochtúireachtaí oinigh orthu in 2002; in 2008 bronnadh Gradam an Oireachtais orthu.

Diarmuid lived most of his life in Bray. He was appointed Town Librarian in Bray and Kilkenny County Librarian before being employed by RTÉ to set up its Radio Archives. In 1987 he accepted an early retirement scheme from RTÉ and in 1982 he and fellow librarian, Máire Ni Mhurchú, began working on the Irish-language Dictionary of Irish Biography, Beathaisnéis. They published nine volumes of lives during 1986-2007. Diarmuid was the author of two almanacks in Irish and published material in newspapers and journals. In 1996 he and Máire were awarded Gradam Bhord na Gaeilge. They recevied a D. Litt. Celt from NUIM in 2002, and in 2008 they were presented with Gradam an Oireachtais.

Birth date: 5 August 1930

Place of birth: Kiltimon, Co. Wicklow

Death date: 13 November 2023

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