# Muiris Mac Conghail

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Muiris_Mac_Conghail
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Muiris_Mac_Conghail.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muiris_Mac_Conghail
> Source revision: 1350772226
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Short description|Irish journalist (1941–2019)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=September 2017}}

'''Muiris Mac Conghail''' (12 May 1941 – 25 November 2019)<ref>[https://www.rte.ie/news/2019/1126/1095185-muiris-macconghail/ Writer, programme-maker Muiris Mac Conghail dies, RTE 26 November 2019]</ref> was an Irish journalist, writer, broadcaster, poet, and film-maker.

==Early life==
Mac Conghail was born in Dublin, son of artists Marcus Mac Conighail and Aida Kelly. His father, a cousin of [Harry Clarke](/source/Harry_Clarke), had been a republican activist during the [Irish War of Independence](/source/Irish_War_of_Independence) before studying, and then teaching, at the [RHA](/source/Royal_Hibernian_Academy) schools.<ref>''Irish Art 1900-1950'', Rosc, 1975.</ref>

Mac Conghail was educated at [University College Dublin](/source/University_College_Dublin).

==Career==
He joined [Raidió Teilifís Éireann](/source/Raidi%C3%B3_Teilif%C3%ADs_%C3%89ireann) (RTÉ) in the 1960s, one of a group of young broadcasters which included [Aindreas Ó Gallchóir](/source/Aindreas_%C3%93_Gallch%C3%B3ir),<ref>[http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/obituaries/2011/0723/1224301190831.html Gaeilgeoir whose media career spanned four eventful decades] ''Irish Times'', 2011-07-23.</ref> [Breandán Ó hEithir](/source/Breand%C3%A1n_%C3%93_hEithir), [James Plunkett Kelly](/source/James_Plunkett_Kelly), [Donal Farmer](/source/Donal_Farmer) and [Seán Mac Réamoinn](/source/Se%C3%A1n_Mac_R%C3%A9amoinn). He became producer and editor of the current affairs programme ''[7 Days](/source/7_Days_(Ireland))'', which started broadcasting in 1966.<ref>[Horgan, John](/source/John_Horgan_(academic)). ''Broadcasting and Public Life: RTÉ News and Current Affairs 1926–1997''. Four Courts Press (2004). {{ISBN|1-85182-839-7}}</ref> He won a [Jacob's Television Award](/source/Jacob's_Awards) in 1967 and 1985.<ref>[https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/muiris-mac-conghail-obituary-broadcaster-who-guided-rté-s-current-affairs-in-its-early-years-1.4099504 Muiris Mac Conghail obituary: broadcaster who guided RTÉ's current affairs in its early years. Irish Times, 30 November 2019]</ref>

In May 1973, he was appointed Assistant Secretary at the [Department of the Taoiseach](/source/Department_of_the_Taoiseach) and Head of the Government Information Bureau.<ref>[http://debates.oireachtas.ie/dail/1973/05/02/7/ Dáil debates]</ref> I

He was RTÉ Controller of Programmes, television, 1977–1980 and 1983–1986.

In 2001 he delivered the Thomas Davis Lecture to mark the 75th anniversary of Radio Éireann -'Politics by Wireless'.<ref>[http://www.rte.ie/about/pressreleases/05022002.html RTÉ Press Release] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090909224705/http://www.rte.ie/about/pressreleases/05022002.html |date=2009-09-09 }}</ref>

==Personal life==
Mac Conghail married Máire Doran and they have five children, including [Fiach](/source/Fiach_Mac_Conghail), former Director of the [Abbey Theatre](/source/Abbey_Theatre).<ref>[http://www.independent.ie/unsorted/features/how-maire-traced-her-ancestors-227947.html Family]</ref> They separated in the 2000 and divorced in 2007.

Mac Conghail married Mary Malone in 2008: they had lived together for the previous 16 years.

== Select writings ==
* ''Aghaidheanna Fidil Agus Puicini'' (Biography of George Thompson)
* ''Island Funeral'' (1965)
* ''The Blaskets: A Kerry Island Library'' (1987) {{ISBN|0-946172-12-9}}
* ''The Blaskets – People and Literature''
* ''Politics by Wireless: News and Current Affairs on Radio'', 1926–2000 (2001)
* Essay on [David Thornley](/source/David_Thornley) in ''Unquiet Spirit: Essays in memory of David Thornley''. Edited by Yseult Thornley (Liberties Press)

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mac Conghail, Muiris}}
Category:1941 births
Category:2019 deaths
Category:20th-century Irish writers
Category:21st-century Irish writers
Category:Irish-language writers
Category:Alumni of University College Dublin
Category:Irish broadcasters
Category:Irish television producers
Category:Jacob's Award winners
Category:Broadcasters from Dublin (city)
Category:RTÉ executives
Category:RTÉ newsreaders and journalists
Category:Mac Conghail family

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Muiris Mac Conghail](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muiris_Mac_Conghail) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muiris_Mac_Conghail?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.