EOGHAN Ó hANLUAIN:EOGHAN Ó hANLUAIN, who has died aged 74, was a writer and critic, lecturer in the department of modern Irish at UCD, former chairman of Cumann Merriman and a noted editor of Comhar.
His books include a life of the 18th-century Clare poet Seán Ó hUathnín, whom he described as a composite of Art Ó Laoire and Eoin Rua Ó Súilleabháin. At the Merriman School in 1968, he said: “His ardent love of exercise and his loose itinerant habits gave him no inclination for long study, hence his compositions were brief and generally characteristic of the rake. His clever deportment made him a favourite at the tavern and a welcome guest at the festive assembly.”
Born in Dublin in 1938, Ó hAnluain was the third son of William Hanlon and his wife Mary (née Kelly), both from Co Offaly, and lived on Parnell Square before moving to Ballsbridge. He attended the all-Irish Coláiste Mhuire, where he was not only a conscientious scholar but a skilful hurler, winning a place on the Dublin county minor team.
He subsequently studied Irish and English at UCD. Having secured a BA and MA, he taught for a year at a secondary school in Youghal, Co Cork, followed by a stint at Synge Street CBS.
In 1960 he took a post as a lecturer at St Patrick’s teacher training college, Drumcondra.
After the establishment of Telefís Éireann, he was associated with the Irish-language teaching programme Buntús Cainte. Between 1966 and 1970 he edited Comhar and published many of the young Innti poets – it was he who suggested they found their own poetry journal. He was also behind the publication of Pearse Hutchinson's first collection, Faoistin Bhachach(1968).
An bhliain dár gcionn a thosaigh sé ag léachtóireacht i Roinn na Nua Ghaeilge, Coláiste na hOllscoile, Baile Átha Cliath, mar ar fhan sé go ndeachaigh sé ar scor i 2003. Bhí cáil ar bheocht agus ar leithne a chuid léachtanna – níor leasc leis véarsa de dhán nó d’amhrán, i nGaeilge nó i mBéarla, a shníomh tríothu agus bhí cion ag micléinn de gach cumas air.
He was closely involved with Cumann Merriman from its foundation in 1967. He directed 24 Cumann Merriman winter schools and was chairman for most of the 1990s. His Irish language refresher classes were a popular feature of the gatherings. He will also be remembered for his recital of poems in Irish and English with Seán Mac Réamoinn and Neasa Ní Annracháin, and later Doireann Ní Bhriain. He was often called on to sing Na Conneries, a west Waterford song of transportation.
The books he edited for An Clóchomhar include An Díthreabhach agus Scéalta Eile(1977), Léachtaí Uí Chadhain(1989) and Ón Ulán Ramhar Siar(2003). He contributed important chapters to the revised edition of Aodh de Blacam's Gaelic Literature Surveyed (1983) and The Field Day Anthology of Irish Writing(1990). Most recently he edited Máirtín Ó Direáin: Na Dánta(2010).
He is survived by his wife Bernie, daughters Éilis, Máire and Clíodhna and sons Colm and Billy.
Eoghan Ó hAnluain: born January 18th, 1938; died February 1st, 2012