Gearóid Mac Eoin
Seánraí: Eagarthóir, Scríbhneoir acadúil
I gcathair Luimnigh a rugadh é sa bhliain 1929. Fuair sé BA sa Léann Ceilteach in Ollscoil na hÉireann, Gaillimh, agus i ndiaidh a chéime fuair sé Staidéaracht Taistil (1952) agus céim MA (1953). In Ollscoil Bonn a chaith sé na blianta 1953–55 agus rinne sé céim dochtúireachta ann faoi stiúir an Ollaimh Rudolf Hertz. I Reykjavík casadh Guðrún Helga ('Gimma') Hallgrímsdóttir air agus pósadh iad sa tSualainn, áit a raibh post mar lektor sna teangacha Ceilteacha aige in Ollscoil Uppsala ón mbliain 1957. Bhí sé ansin go dtí 1959 nuair a tugadh cuireadh dó chuig Coláiste Phádraig, Droim Chonrach, le bheith ina ollamh le Gaeilge (1959–1963). Ina dhiaidh sin fuair sé Ollúnacht Chúnta san Institiúid Ard-Léinn, áit ar fhan sé go dtí an bhliain 1966 nuair a ceapadh é ina Ollamh le Sean- agus Meán-Ghaeilge agus Teangeolaíocht Cheilteach in Ollscoil na hÉireann, Gaillimh, áit ar chaith sé an chuid eile dá shaol acadúil (1966-1994). Bhronn Ollscoil na hÉireann an chéim D. Litt. Celt. (honoris causa) air sa bhliain 1999. Bhí sé ina bhall d'Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann ón mbliain 1975, d'Acadamh na hEorpa (1989), de Chomhar na Múinteoirí Gaeilge (1966), d'Eagras na Gaeltachta (1966), de Ghluaiseacht Chearta Sibhialta na Gaeltachta (1969). Bhásaigh sé i mí an Mheithimh 2023.
Born in Limerick City in the year 1929, he received his BA in Celtic Studies in NUI Galway. The following year he obtained a Travelling Studentship in Celtic Studies, and in 1953 the degree of MA He spent the years 1953–55 at the University of Bonn where he took his doctorate under the direction of Professor Rudolf Hertz. In Iceland he met Guðrún Helga ('Gimma') Hallgrímsdóttir and they were married in Sweden, where he became lektor in Celtic Languages and Folklore at the University of Uppsala from 1957. In 1959 he was appointed Professor of Irish at St Patrick’s Teacher Training College, Dublin (1959–1963). In 1963 he became Assistant Professor at the Dubin Institute for Advances Studies, where he remained until he was appointed Professor of Old and Middle Irish and Celtic Philology at University College, Galway, in 1966. He remained there until his retirement in 1994. The honorary degree D. Litt. Celt. (honoris causa) was conferred on him by the National University of Ireland in 1999. He became a member of the Royal Irish Academy in 1975 and of the Academia Europaea in 1989. He died in June 2023.
Ba de na Mughdhorna sinsear Mhaoil Mhuire. B'shin cine a bhí lonnaithe i limistéar a shín ó lár Cho. Mhuineacháin go hiarthar Cho. Lú agus go tuaisceart Cho. na Mí. Tá cuntas fairsing ag Hogan ar na Mughdhorna agus ar na tailte a raibh siad ina gcónaí iontu. Is léir go raibh nós ag an dream sin, a raibh cuid dá muintir ina n-ab ar Ard Mhacha, dul ar oilithreacht go Cluain Mhic Nóis, go dtí gur fhan Eoghan go buan ann. Ba é sin sinsear a shleachta uaidh sin suas. Cé an líon sleachta léinn den chineál sin atá le haithint i measc scoláirí na meánaoise in Éirinn? Fíorbheagán, cheapfainn. Ábhar taighde do dhuine éigin eile.
Gearóid Mac Eoin, in Sacred Histories, Festschrift for Máire Herbert, eag. John Carey et al., lgh 225-9 (Four Courts Press, 2015)