Aodán Mac Póilin Explained

Aodán Mac Póilin
Birth Date:11 October 1948
Birth Place:Belfast
Death Place:Belfast
Nationality:Irish
Known For:Irish-language activist
Occupation:Writer, teacher
Alma Mater:Ulster University

Aodán Mac Póilin (11 October 1948  - 29 December 2016)[1] was an Irish language activist in Northern Ireland.

Background

Aodán Mac Póilin was born in Belfast and grew up in Norfolk Road in the Andersonstown area. His father worked as a civil servant and his mother was an Irish language speaker and grew up speaking the language at home. He had two sisters.[2]

He was one of the early students at the New University of Ulster (1970-1974) which had recently opened at Coleraine. There he was associated with the Coleraine Cluster of poets and writers. He graduated with a BA(Hons) in Irish studies. He later obtained an MPhil on modern literature in Irish.[3]

On returning to Belfast he helped to establish the Shaw's Road Irish-speaking community where he and his wife Áine lived.

Career

After graduation, Mac Póilin was a teacher for a period and then became Director of the ULTACH Trust in 1990.[4]

He was active in the European Bureau for Lesser-Used Languages and the Community Relations Council for Northern Ireland, and was chairman of the first Irish-medium school in Northern Ireland.

Mac Póilin served on the board of Northern Ireland Screen for 5 years from 2012, with particular responsibility for the Irish Language Broadcast Fund.[5] He also served on the boards of the Columba Initiative, Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta (the Council for Irish-medium Education), the Education Broadcasting Council of BBC Northern Ireland,[6] Foras na Gaeilge (the cross-border Irish language implementation body), and the Seamus Heaney Centre for Poetry, Queen's University Belfast.

Mac Póilin wrote and lectured extensively on various aspects of the Irish language, literature and culture. He made a major contribution to the revitalisation of the Irish language in Northern Ireland.[7]

Mac Póilin died on 29 December 2016. He is survived by his wife Áine, daughter Aoife, and two grandchildren.[8] [9]

Legacy

A film entitled Rian na gCos celebrating his life was released on BBC Two NI in 2020 and on TG4 in 2021.[10]

In 2017, the Irish Language Broadcast Fund established a bursary fund in his name entitled Ciste Cuimhneacháin Aodáin Mhic Phóilin.[11]

Books

Notes and References

  1. Web site: MAC PÓILÍN, Aodán (1948–2016) . ainm.ie . 14 November 2023.
  2. Web site: Aodan Mac Poilin our Generation. Northern Visions. 10 February 2018.
  3. Book: Mac Póilin . Aodán . Náisiúnachas agus litríocht na Nua-Ghaeilge, 1893-1935 = Nationalism and modern literature in Irish . 1981 . New University of Ulster . Coleraine . 16 March 2022.
  4. http://www.ultach.dsl.pipex.com/English/about_us.htm ULTACH Trust
  5. Web site: Sad death of Aodán Mac Póilín. Northern Ireland Screen. 6 July 2019.
  6. Web site: Education Broadcasting Council. BBC. 5 July 2019. 7 July 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190707064752/https://www.bbc.com/aboutthebbc/northernireland/about/council/. dead.
  7. Web site: Aodan Mac Poilin-An appreciation. The Irish Times. 10 February 2018.
  8. Web site: Aodan Mac Poilin-Trailblazer-promoted-irish-language-without-politics. Belfast Telegraph .
  9. News: Tributes paid to Irish language activist Aodán Mac Póilin (68) . 14 November 2023 . The Irish News . 30 December 2016.
  10. Web site: AODÁN MAC PÓILIN FILM, RIAN NA GCOS, TO AIR ON BBC TWO NI AND TG4 . Northern Ireland Screen . 14 November 2023.
  11. Web site: BURSARY LAUNCHED TO COMMEMORATE IRISH LANGUAGE ACTIVIST, AODÁN MAC PÓILIN . Northern Ireland Screen . 14 November 2023.
  12. https://web.archive.org/web/20121110053820/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/the-patron-saint-of-the-insane-the-northern-irish-poet-padraic-fiacc-a-fiery-uncompromising-chronicler-of-the-troubles-is-celebrating-his-70th-birthday-with-the-publication-of-a-new-volume-damian-smyth-studies-the-critical-renaissance-of-this-literary-outsider-1421371.html 'The patron saint of the insane': The Northern Irish poet Padraic Fiacc, a fiery, uncompromising chronicler of the Troubles, is celebrating his 70th birthday with the publication of a new volume. Damian Smyth studies the critical renaissance of this literary outsider

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Aodán Mac Póilin".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2025, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.