Northern Ireland

Funeral held for Belfast Irish language pioneer Gearóid O Cairealláin

Activist’s life was celebrated at service in St Peter’s Cathedral

Family and Friends during the funeral of Gearóid Ó Caireallán at St Peter’s Cathedral in West Belfast on Christmas Eve. PICTURE COLM LENAGHAN
The funeral of Gearóid Ó Caireallán took place at St Peter’s Cathedral in west Belfast on Christmas Eve morning. PICTURE: COLM LENAGHAN
By Paul Ainsworth

The funeral of Irish language champion and activist Gearóid O Cairealláin has taken place in his native west Belfast.

The 67-year-old former president of advocacy group Conradh na Gaeilge died last Friday at Belfast’s Royal Victoria Hospital following a short illness.

Tuesday’s funeral service was held in Irish at St Peter’s Cathedral in the Lower Falls area.

Mr O Cairealláin was a founder and former editor of the Irish language newspaper Lá, which was first published in Belfast in 1984, with the final edition being printed in 2008.

He also helped bring Raidió Fáilte to the airwaves, with the Irish language station being granted its licence in 2006 after a number of years operating as a pirate station.

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Naoise Ó Cairealláin, AKA Moglaí Bap of Irish language hip-hop trio Kneecap during the funeral of his father Gearóid Ó Caireallán at St Peter’s Cathedral in West Belfast on Christmas Eve. PICTURE COLM LENAGHAN
Naoise Ó Cairealláin of Irish language hip-hop trio Kneecap at the funeral of his father Gearóid Ó Caireallán. PICTURE: COLM LENAGHAN

A tireless advocate of Ireland’s native tongue, Mr O Cairealláin helped open the doors of Belfast’s first Irish language secondary school, Coláiste Feirste, in 1991.

He was also a co-founder of the Cultúrlann MacAdam-Ó Fiaich arts hub and venue in west Belfast’s Gaeltacht Quarter.

Among those to carry on his legacy in promoting Irish is son Naoise, known to thousands of fans across the world as Moglaí Bap of hip-hop group Kneecap.

Naoise and bandmates Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh and J.J Ó Dochartaigh paid tribute to Gearóid at Saturday’s sell-out Kneecap gig at Belfast’s SSE Arena - the biggest Irish language concert in the city’s history.

Current Conradh na Gaeilge president, Paula Melvin, said her predecessor was a “loved and cherished figure”.

“There can be no denying the incredible influence and impact Gearóid had on the Irish language movement, not only in Belfast, but throughout the country,” she said.

“He leaves behind him an undeniable legacy that will be an immense source of inspiration for us all throughout the future. Go raibh míle maith agat, a Ghearóid agus suaimhneas síoraí ort.”

Irish President Michael D Higgins said his death was “a great loss for all those who work for the use of the Irish language: its rights, its literature, and its place in the daily life of people.”