Eibhlín Ní Mhurchú:Eibhlín Ní Mhurchú, who has died aged 91, was a well-known broadcaster on Raidio na Gaeltachta and over a period of 13 years was a panel member of the popular programme Leagan Cainte. An accident forced her retirement in 2005, at the age of 88.
In a previous retirement, she taught modern Irish in Trinity College Dublin. A number of years before that she had made memorable recordings of Cúirt an Mheán Oíche, Caoineadh Airt Uí Laoire, Jimín Mháire Thaidhg and other classic works of prose and poetry in Irish.
She was a familiar voice on Radio Éireann with her topical talks and On This Day series in Irish and her many roles in Irish language plays. A collection of articles from her regular column in the Irish Independent in the Fifties and Sixties was published in book form in 1968, titled Siúlach Scéalach.
In addition to her expert knowledge of Irish, she was renowned for her extraordinary knowledge of the local history of Kerry, especially of her native Corca Dhuibhne Gaeltacht, and contributed to journals and publications such as Céad Bliain (1871-1971) edited by Micheál Ó Ciosáin.
Rugadh Eibhlín ar an mBaile Loisce, Corca Dhuibhne i 1916. Fuair sí a cuid bunoideachais i Scoil Naomh Bríde ar an gCarraig agus a cuid meánoideachais i gClochar na Toirbhirte i nDaingean Uí Chúis. Thug sí suas scoláireacht in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe agus chuaigh sí isteach sa Státsheirbhís, mar nach raibh aon phost le fáil in Éirinn ag céimithe ollscoile ag an am, dár léi. Chaith sí cuid mhaith dá cuid ama saor i mbun drámaí Gaeilge, ar stáitse agus ar Radio Éireann, agus is tríd on drámaíocht a casadh a fear céile uirthi, Diarmuid Ó hAinlí, abhcóide.
The first story in her collection Siúlach Scéalach is an account of her honeymoon in the Western Isles of Scotland with her new husband, barrister Diarmuid Hanly, himself a fluent Irish speaker. Diarmuid died young in 1960 and Eibhlín returned to the Department of Education as she now had to rear three children. Dúirt an file Bríd Ní Mhóráin ag Aifreann na sochraide: "Níor luigh sí faoi bhuille na tubaiste bhain di a páirtí agus athair a clainne dob í croí na cuileachtan í i dtigh na féile Bainríon gan choróin an phobail Ghaelaigh."
Níorbh fhada go raibh sí níos gníomhaí ná riamh, ag scríobh agus ag craoladh, agus ag aisteoireacht sa Chomhar Drámaíochta, ar Radio Éireann agus le Compántas Amharclainne na Gaeilge. Bhí an phríomhpháirt aice in Amharclann an Damer sa dráma Oidhreacht Bhideoig Mhóir a scríobh Proinsias Mac Diarmada, agus sa dráma An Chúis in aghaidh Íosa, aistriúcháin ar Procès à Jésus le Diego Fabbri. Aisteoir den scoth a bhí inti.
Her collection Siúlach Scéalach also contains a few short poems in Irish and a longer and finer poem of hers Gin Nár Milleadh (Unaborted) is published in PL Henry's collection of Women's Poems in Irish with English translations, Dánta Ban.
Poetry was in her blood. Her grandfather, Micheál Ruiséal (1860-1928), composed most of the poems and songs in Duanaire Duibhneach, collected by Seán Ó Dubhda.
Ruiséal's son Seán, Eibhlín's uncle, who worked for a time as a miner in Butte, Montana, was the man who composed Amhrán na Mianach, which is still a great favourite in the Kerry Gaeltacht.
Micheál Ruiséal's other son Tomás was killed by a British soldier in 1918, in Carraig an Chabhaltaigh (Carrigaholt), Co Clare, where he was a teacher of Irish. "The death of Tomás Ruiséal by a thrust from a bayonet of a British soldier deprives the Language Movement in Clare of a fine promising young 'múinteoir'. . . gaiscíoch fir, sé throigh ar airde, iománaí mear tréan, ceoltóir . . .' (Fáinne and Lae; 6 Aibreán 1918).
Eibhlín died in St James's Hospital in Dublin last Saturday. At her funeral Mass in Churchtown on Tuesday morning Tríona and Maighréad Ní Dhomhnaill sang and Tony MacMahon played the haunting Port na bPúcaí.
The following day in Séipéal na Carraige in Corca Dhuibhne, the delicacy and empathy of Máire Ní Bheaglaoich's organ playing touched all present, while Maidhc Dainín Ó Sé's box playing and Páidí Mhárthain's singing formed a wonderful bond of sympathy between musicians and congregation. Port na bPúcaí was played again, in final farewell in the ancient graveyard of Cill Maolcéadair, this time by Feargal Mac Amhlaoibh, as Eibhlín was laid to rest among her own people.
She is survived by her daughter Máire Oakes, her two sons Joseph and Aongus, and her 10 grandchildren.
Eibhlín Ní Mhurchú: born 1916; died September 22nd 2007