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Statement by President Higgins on the death of Donncha Ó Dúlaing

Date: Sun 5th Sep, 2021 | 14:13

“It is not only his listeners over the years but our Irish abroad and their families who will have heard with sadness of the passing of broadcaster Donncha Ó Dúlaing, just days after the death of his wife Vera.

With his passing, Ireland has lost a widely respected and influential broadcaster, part of a generation of ground-breaking presenters and journalists that shaped Irish public broadcasting.

On his retirement I recall a wonderful visit I had with him here at Áras an Uachtaráin.

We owe him a debt of gratitude for his contribution to Irish culture. His love for Irish music and Irish sport was contagious and he brought an energy and enthusiasm to his journalism, in programmes such as ‘Highways and Byways’ and ‘Fáilte Isteach’, which resonated deeply with Irish audiences at home and abroad.

Equally, he will be remembered for his love of his native Cork and its heroic personalities and traditions, his generosity of spirit and his tireless efforts in support of many charitable causes, including the famous walks for such purposes, invoking the spirit of place and local history. All of this, and so much more, will for ever be associated with his name.

To his sons, to all the members of her extended family and his wide circle of friends and colleagues Sabina and I express our deepest sympathies.”