Statement by President Higgins on the death of Pádraig Ó Snodaigh
Date: Fri 3rd Jan, 2025 | 16:00
It is with deep sadness that I, and I’m sure all of those involved with the Irish language are, in learning of the passing of Pádraig Ó Snodaigh.
A man of immense dedication and a major figure of the Irish language movement, Pádraig Ó Snodaigh’s life was marked by such a strong and lifelong commitment to the promotion and preservation of our native language, for its use, its literature, and above all its place in the daily life of our people.
His numerous contributions and his longstanding work inspired countless others to cherish and embrace the language that is central to our shared cultural heritage.
Pádraig served as President of Conradh na Gaeilge in the 1970s, where he set up the Conradh’s bookshop. From 1970 to 1973, he was co-editor, with Mícheál Ó Bréartún, of Pobal, the Irish language current affairs magazine. Later that decade he became editor of Carn, the official magazine of the Celtic League, before founding, in 1980, the publishing company Coiscéim, which has since published nearly 2,000 books in Irish.
I was privileged to call both Pádraig and his late wife, the artist Cliodhna Cussen, friends of mine. I recall their strong support for the right to have TG4 for the language, people, and the Gaeltacht.
A steadfast advocate for the richness and resilience of Irish as a living language, Pádraig’s passing is a great loss for all those who work to promote the use of the Irish language, but his contributions to Irish society will undoubtedly leave an enduring legacy for generations to come.
Sabina and I send our deepest sympathies to Pádraig’s family, including his sons Aengus, Rossa, Rónán, Colm, Cormac and Fergus.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.