Death of TV producer and Tourmakeady native

INFLUENTIAL The late MΡire Ní Thuathail.

President Higgins pays tribute to MΡire Ní Thuathail

Edwin McGreal

President Michael D Higgins led the tributes to the late MΡire Ní Thuathail following her death last week after a battle with illness.
Ms Ní Thuathail was a native of Tourmakeady and was best known for her huge contribution to Irish language broadcasting. She died at her home in Spiddal on Monday, September 19. She was 59 years old.
She was the Executive Producer of the long running TG4 soap Ros na Rún and was managing director of Eo Teilifís.
“All those involved in broadcasting, and in particular in broadcasting in Irish, will be deeply saddened by the untimely death of MΡire Ní Thuathail,” said President Higgins. “Her contribution to television and film making in Irish is of inestimable value.
“She embraced the challenge of setting up TG4, and of developing the station, with enthusiasm and went on to bring into being one of the most successful TV soaps of our time, Ros na Rún.
“In doing so, she established the required studio and facilities where her assistance and training made it possible for a long line of talented young people to enter acting and broadcasting.
“She will be missed, not only by many people in broadcasting, but also by her family and many friends. As someone who was acquainted with her work, I am deeply saddened by her passing, and grateful for her contribution to Irish language broadcasting,” he stated.
Ms Ní Thuathail was a native of Tourmakeady and the eldest of seven children of the late Thomas and Bridget O’Toole.
She studied Agricultural Science through Irish in University College Galway and went on to teach Maths and Science in Gweedore, Co Donegal, for three years before moving to Dublin to work for Bord na Gaeilge. She was a big advocate of the Irish language and of the need for greater education and training in Irish.
Her first role in television was with Coco Television where she played a key role in introducing puppetry through Irish to the screens.
Puppeteers from the legendary Sesame Street travelled to Ireland to assist with the training and her puppetry programmes are now used by advocates of minority languages in seventeen different countries.
She formed Eo Teilifis in 1988, producing a number of children’s programmes including Mire Mara, Kitty Crash and Mise agus Pangúr BΡn. Jointly, with Tyrone Productions, they won the tender for Ros na Rún, TG4’s flagship soap, now in its 21st year. MΡire served as Executive Producer until she fell ill earlier this year.
Many Irish television producers would have worked under MΡire in Eo Teilifís. She was instrumental in the establishment of the Eoroform Training Initiative in 1995. This initiative was in conjunction with ÚdarΡs na Gaeltachta, RTÉ, FÁS, Teilfís na Gaeilge and Eo Teilifis and trained Production Managers PA’s, Vision Mixers, Camera Operators, Sound Operators and Editors. The company currently has a staff of 120 but many multiples of that would have worked with the company over its history.
MΡire served as Board Member of a number of organisations including Media Antenna, Screen Producers Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. In 1997, she was named Ireland’s Young Business Woman of the Year.
She died in her home in Spiddal, Co Galway and a private cremation took place in Dublin on Wednesday last. A memorial service took place in the Connemara Coast Hotel, Furbo, Galway on Saturday last.
MΡire Ní Thuathail is mourned by her siblings Kevin (Tourmakeady), Peadar (Bolivia), Donal, Conor, Fionnuala (all Tourmakeady) and Sheila (Westport), nieces, nephews, family and friends.
She is predeceased by her parents Thomas and Bridget.