Seán Mac Réamoinn, 1921-2007

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A celebration of the 18th century Irish poet Brian Merriman and all aspects of Irish Language and culture.

Seán Mac Réamoinn, 1921–2007

A biography of Dr. Seán Mac Réamoinn, a founder‑member of Cumann Merriman who died in 2007.

A Tribute by Diarmuid Breathnach

Background & Youth

In any appraisal of Seán Mac Réamoinn a certin number of adjectives are unavoidable: pioneering, eager to learn, adventurous, inquisitive, progressive, informative, travelled... He was born in Birmingham, England on 27 November 1921. One might say he lived at one age with the new state. His parents were James Redmond from Booleavogue and Wilhelmina Bruen from Sligo. He was not long born when the insurance business brought James Redmond to Dublin and it was there, in Scoil Choinneach, that Seán received his initial education. Promotion subsequently found his father uprooted again, this time to Clonmel and it was with the Christian Brothers that Seán continued his schooling there; he also developed a particular fondness for the area, whic was to last his whole life. He was of secondary school age when his family moved again, this time to Galway City. That city was at least partly Irish-speaking in the early thirties and he was sent to an all‑Irish school, Coláiste Iognáid. He was struck by illness a number of times during his youth, much to the concern of his parents; two babies born before him died from the great flu of 1918–19.

An Taibhdhearc and University College, Galway were at their height and Seán took full advantage of this in the arenas of academia, writing, and acting. Professor Liam Ó Briain had a particular influence on him, and he also wrote several Christmas pantomimes for An Taibhdhearc. His academic subjects were Irish (and Old‑Irish) and French and his master’s degree was not insignificant when he was appointed ao a position in the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs.

Radio Éireann

Dublin was an interesting city during the war of 1939–45; writers were everywhere, the newly‑established Oireachtas, Comhar, Inniu, Glúin na Bua and Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge were all ploughing ahead; an Comhchaidreamh fuinniúil, an organisation founded in 1936 to promote links between Irish language bodies in the various universities. You might say that Seán was at the centre of a hive of activity, editing Comhar during a most historical period. However, he had an overriding wish to constantly leatn more about Ireland and with the annus mirabilis of Radio Éireann in 1947 he applied for a position as an officer with the Mobile Unit, travelling the country in order to gather material for radio programmes. Séamus Ennis and Seán were both appointed; Eamonn Andrews, the star, finishing third!

One of the first trips they undertook, to make recordings of Peig Sayers, is particularly memorable. These possibly provide a better insight into that woman’s abilities than any published book has yet done. Another memorable journey was made in the company of Ben Kiely during the making of the The Nine Counties of Ulster series. It was during that time that Seán became familiar with Scottish Gaelic and with Wales and the Welsh language. It was little wonder that the Eisteddfod conferred high honours on him subsequently.

It was thanks to Seán that broadcasting from Cork blossomed again in 1957–58, after his appointment as Regional Officer. Another significant point in his life was his attendance, in a professional capacity, at Vatican Two in the early sixties. He wrote Vatacáin a Dó agus an Réabhlóid Chultúrtha shortly after. Only for his daily journalistic and broadcasting duties, he may well have written more books. He certainly had the ability. From 1974 on he became involved in management as the Head of Radio Programmes and afterwards as director of Foreign Affairs for Raidió Teilifís Éireann.

Other Endeavours

To give a complete account of his life one would have to mention a number of things with which he was closely associated: ’Tuarascáil’ in the Irish Times in the sixties and seventies; the portraits of young people in Scéala Éireann (An Mhuintir s'againne); his ability as a reviewer; his editing of The Pleasures of Gaelic Poetry; the time he spent as a member of the RTÉ Authority and of Bord na Gaeilge; the doctorate conferred on him by the National University of Ireland…

There was a three year period when I would travel with him to Cork once a month by train to attend the Advisory Committee of Radio Cork. I can confirm that he was a great speaker and a great listener. The only fault his fellow travellers could find with him was that he would never criticise others. One had to study the particular twisting of his moustache to guage his dislike for someone!

Cumann Merriman

No account of Seán Mac Réamoinn is complete without mentioning his role as a co‑founder of Cumann Merriman é. He was made an honourary life‑member subsequently, and was a member of the Academic Committee until his death.

The Final Years

Neither his own health nor that of his wife Pat (nee Hall) was very good for a long time before his death on 17th January in St. Vincent’s Hospital, Dublin. His daughters Seona and Laoise and his son Brian supported them unceasingly. He had a great many friends, who will not mind if I mention two who gave him particular help during his illness: Seán óg Ó Baoill and Louis Marcus.

Amongst the friends who spoke about him after the funeral mass in Dundrum were Séamus Heaney, Garret Fitz Gerald, Ciarán Mac Mathúna, Nuala O’Faolain, John Horgan, Louis Marcus, Bob Collins, Richard Ryan, Dr. Harri Pritchard‑Jones and the journalist Mary Maher.

Her Excellency Mary Mc Aleese, President of Ireland, was present and near the altar was Dr. Diarmuid Martin, Archbishop of Dublin, and the Reverend Terence Mc Caughey, a Presbyterian minister. The celebrant was Father Tom Stack, one of Mac Réamoinn’s close friends.

Seán Mac Réamoinn’s Last Interview

Seán Mac Réamoinn was not in good physical health for the last couple of years of his life but his mind remained as sharp as ever. He was unable to attend the Winter School at all during that time and although he still came to the Summer School it was only for one or two days. Sadly, the 2006 Summer School was to be his last. He arrived in Lisdoonvarna at the end of the week, and was present at the final lecture, John A. Murphy’s 'Irish-Ireland’: Self‑delusion, then and now, before going on to the Roadside Tavern where School participants, including several Merriman stalwarts and old friends had gathered to conclude the week.

Despite other calls on his attention, Seán kindly consented to be interviewed about the founding of Cumann Merriman. As far as we know, this is the last interview he ever gave and considering his involvment, not only in creating and developing the Cumann Merriman, but in previous attempts to promote Brian Merriman and Cúirt an Mheán Oíche, it’s hard to imagine a more fitting one. Please feel free to listen to this interview.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

Merriman Obituary

Cumann Merriman issued the following obituary following Dr. Mac Réamoinn’s death.

Seán Mac Réamoinn 1921–2007

Is cúis bhróin an‑mhór do Chumann Merriman bás an Dr. Sheáin Mhic Réamoinn, inniu 17 Eanáir 2007.

Bhí sé ar dhuine de bhunaitheoirí an Chumainn, ball saoil oinigh agus ball den Choiste Acadúil ab ea é go dtí lá a bháis.

Fear é a thug treoir agus údar machnaimh don Chumann agus is cinnte gur chuir sé go mór le cáil agus le feabhas an Chumainn de bharr a fhlaithiúla is a roinn sé a mhóreolas agus mar gheall ar an domhaintuiscint a bhí aige ar shaol na hÉireann agus ar shaíocht na Gaeilge go háirithe.

Chuir a ghuth cinn sainiúil go mór leis na léamha breátha a rinne sé ag na hócáidí filíochta ar dlúthchuid iad de chlabhsúir Scoileanna Merriman.

Suaimhneas síoraí go raibh aige.

Other Obituaries

Irish Times, 18th January

Sean Mac Réamoinn, who has died at the age of 85, was an extraordinary member of a generation of Irish public servants that was in itself marked by exceptional talent and breadth of vision: he was passionately devoted to Ireland and things Irish, intolerant of stereotypes and skin‑deep patriotism, polymathic, witty in several languages, and the embodiment of a conviviality always adorned with good manners and a sheer sense of fun.
He was a prime mover in the development of the Merriman Winter School, which was devoted to the Irish language in its many aspects. At the Merriman Summer School, from which this had sprung, he regularly acted as a sort of pied piper to devoted bands of foreign students... Not just in Irish and English, but in Welsh, French or Italian, as the occasion required, he would deliver himself of bon mots that sounded as if they had been prepared hours or even days before, but were actually fresh minted. How else could one explain his instant response to a French visitor who asked him what the word crúbeen meant. Think of it, the bemused Frenchman was instructed, as the patois of tiny feet.

Sunday Tribune, 21st January 2007

I never saw anyone turn away at the door for fear of being bored by Sean Mac Réamoinn. He did important things in his life, and one of them which no obituary will omit, was that with his friends, a marvellous band of bilingual and Ireland-loving men and women, he founded Cumann Merriman. The Merriman people relished the language and what’s more they relished life — they liked other people and drinking and singing and listening to singing and being attracted and set‑dancing and gossip and the acquisition of detailed, intimate knowledge of every corner of this island. Their summer school aimed to rescue Irish for pleasure and emotion.

Nuala O’Faolain.

Irish Times, 22nd January 2007

Just to be in his company was to feel honoured and to feel endorsed. From the beginning, his kindness, his quickness, his critical esteem were all important to my own self-esteem and important to the self‑esteem of this country.

From Séamus Heaney’s oration at the funeral.

Irish Times, 23rd January 2007

Ina cholún seachtainiúil sa pháipéar seo, tar éis an chéad Scoil Merriman i 1968, scríobh Seán Ó Ríordain, file: Ní ag cáineadh na scoile ná Mhic Réamoinn atáim nuair a deirim gurb ionann iad. Má thugann tú comharthaí sóirt na scoile seo fé ndeara is gearr go bhfeicfidh tú croiméal Mhic Réamoinn ag nochtadh chughat as an gceo... go lá sochraide Mhic Réamoinn sheas an t‑ionnanú a rinne an file idir é agus Scoil Merriman agus Mac Réamoinn.

Eilís Ní Anluain.

Sunday Independent, 28th January 2007

In fact the so‑called Gaelic Mafia was merely a meeting of minds among those who wanted to invigorate the Irish imagination by integrating the Irish language with the reform of Irish society along radical lines. But if the Gaelic Mafia had existed, Mac Réamoinn would have been the Godfather. Mac Réamoinn’s pluralism made nonsense of any such name calling. In time his wit won over many who had been hostile to Irish and made them feel at home in Mac Réamoinn’s republic. And I am convinced that any future Irish Republic must look like a meeting of Cumann Merriman, where Northern Protestants will rise before dawn to roust the lazy republicans out of bed.

Eoghan Harris.

The Guardian, 16th February 2007

From 1962 to 1965, he reported on the second Vatican Council, which raised both hopes and fears among Irish Catholics. For his part, he enthusiastically welcomed it for bringing the church kicking and screaming into the 20th century. He was happy to bid farewell to some of the minor stupidities of Irish life: We have got rid of the prudishness and petty puritanisms that made us think that sexuality was a tremendously important thing... Mac Réamoinn was a stalwart of Cumann Merriman... which in 1967 began organising lively summer (and later winter) schools to discuss political and cultural issues. He was a member of many other groups and organisations ranging from the anti‑apartheid movement to the Irish theological association.

Comhar, February 2007

Labhair dáréag ar fad den altóir ag Aifreann na sochraide, agus d’fhéadfá éisteacht le dáréag eile, le chomh greannmhar agus chomh spéisiúil is a bhí a gcuid scéilíní faoi Sheán Mac Réamoinn. Ach ní greann ar fad a bhí ann; ghabh na hiriseoirí Mary Maher agus Nuala O’Faoláin buíochas lena seanchara Seán faoi threoir agus comhairle a thabhairt dóibh agus iad ina n‑iriseoirí óga, agus bhí mná a chaointe ann freisin: Pádraigín Ní Uallachain, a cheol Slan, a Ghrá agus Doireann Ní Bhriain Mo Ghile Mear.
Bhí cáil an raibiléiseachais ar Sheán lena bheo, chomh maith le cáil an eiciúiméineachais. Silim go mbeadh sé féin an‑sásta Ardeaspag Caitliceach Bhaile Átha Cliath, Diarmuid Martin, a fheiceáil ar thaobh amháin den altóir, an Ministéir Preispitéireach Terence Mc Caughey ar an taobh eile, Uachtarán na hÉireann, Máire Mhic Giolla Íosa, ag na raillí, agus iad uilig ag éisteacht go haireach le Louis Marcus, Giúdach agus dlúthchara le Seán, ag aithris scéalta ón gcrannóg arbh é Seán féin fear a gcumtha nó a gcéad inste. I bhfocla Sheáin Uí Ríordáin, tá pearsa imithe as an saol.

Liam Mac an Iomaire.