Tomás Mac Ruairí, Irish Language Activist and Secretary of Raidió na Life, has died.
The staff and Board of the radio station announced the sad news over the weekend that Tomás passed away on April 20th 2023.
Tomás was involved with Raidió na Life since the station’s establishment, both as a member and broadcaster in the early years, in the early nineteen nineties.
He was appointed to the Board of Directors in 2007 and has been Secretary to the Board and the cooperative since 2010.
Tomás was born in Armagh and moved to Dublin in 1959. He lived in Artane. He was a member of Conradh na Gaeilge from 1955 to the present day and was President of An Conradh from 1998 – 2003. He founded the Craobh Bhréanainn branch of Conradh na Gaeilge in North Dublin and was one of the founders of Scoil Neasáin in Harmonstown, where he spent a period as a voluntary manager from 1970 – 1974.
He spent various periods on the Board of the Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge and was President of An Chomhdháil from 2004 – 2010. He was involved in the establishment of Gaelscoileanna Teo and spent a period as the National Secretary of the organisation. He worked as a journalist with the Irish Press, the Irish language newspaper Inniu and other publications.
Tomás spent 25 years on the Board of the Lorient Interceltic Festival and also had his own companies CCC Nuacht Teo and Creagáin Teo.
The staff, Board and all of the Raidió na Life family expressed their condolences to his wife Síle and their children, and to all their family.