Prof Pádraig Ó Carra:Prof Pádraig Ó Carra, who has died aged 69 years, was a distinguished scientist who taught and researched biochemistry to the highest international standards for more than 30 years at NUI Galway.
He also had exceptional musical talents and an encyclopaedic knowledge of classical music. Together with his academic interests, Irish traditional music was his great love and he was an acknowledged expert on the music of Traolach Ó Carolan, the renowned Irish harpist.
A multi-instrumentalist, Ó Carra played the piano and the ordinary tin whistle very well, but it was only after he purchased a Viennese instrument known as a mandolin zither that he came into his own as an accomplished performer. He was one of the founder members of Ceoltóirí Chonnacht and played with this group on stage and television throughout Ireland.
He won several awards at Oireachtas and Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann national competitions as well as wide acclaim for his music wherever he played.
His exceptional skills with the unique and magical mandolin zither has earned him a special place in the annals of the traditional music revival movement during the 1960s and 1970s.
In 1975 he and his friends went on to record for the Gael-Linn label a marvellous collection of haunting traditional tunes that have yet to be equalled.
With Ceoltóirí Chonnacht, he was part of the now legendary series Seóda at the Irish Drama Theatre, Taibhdhearc na Gaillimhe, and became its musical director and arranger. This is acknowledged as one of the most successful stage presentations at the Taibhdhearc and ran for seven years. He also arranged music for films and television programmes and in particular George Stoney's production of the film describing the making of The Man of Aran.
He always acknowledged the enormous influence his parents, Séan and Caitlín, as well as his family, friends and the Galway environment made to his great grá for traditional music. Although he had not been actively involved in the music scene in recent years he will be long remembered as an innovator and outstanding performer by his many colleagues and friends in the Irish traditional music movement.
Like his musical pursuits, his academic record was innovative and excellent.
He received his university education through Irish at UCG where he obtained a first-class honours degree in chemistry and continued his postgraduate studies there, leading to the award of the PhD. During this time he collaborated in research with the late Prof Colm Ó hEocha on structure/function relationships of the fluorescent pigments phycoerythrin and phycocyanin from cyanobacteria (blue-green algae).
The publication of their results in reputable international journals greatly enhanced Ó Carra's scientific standing as well as the reputation of his institution in marine science.
UCG's reputation in marine science was already established by his predecessors and colleagues in departments such as chemistry, botany and zoology. What was remarkable about his and their achievements at that time in the 1960s and 1970s was that they managed to produce high-quality research at a time when financial resources were very scarce.
Their scientific contributions and commitments helped to establish the foundations for the international recognition that Galway enjoys today as a centre of excellence in marine science.
When the new department of biochemistry was established at UCG in 1963, Ó Carra was appointed as assistant to Prof Ó hEocha,the first professor of biochemistry and subsequently to a lectureship and a professorship in biochemistry. As well as his established research reputation, he was a great teacher who was always attentive to student problems and concerns.
It was understandable, therefore, that he attracted some of the best students to undertake their postgraduate research under his supervision. At that time he expanded his research interests into investigating enzymes from animal and human sources and made many significant contributions to this area of biochemistry.
One of his discoveries of a new method for purifying enzymes illustrates the innovative manner in which he approached research problems. His novel modification of a process called affinity chromatography provided a faster and more efficient method for separating proteins/enzymes from complex biological mixtures.
Many additional modifications of this process have been developed over the years and are widely used in life sciences laboratories worldwide, but Ó Carra's procedure is still remarkable for its originality.
This and other research brought considerable distinction to him and his research team and is especially significant because it was done when facilities and resources were very meagre. Many of his former students went on to become distinguished scientists and continue to make important contributions to their discipline.
In common with his academic colleagues they remember Ó Carra as an excellent scientist who displayed exceptional flair and innovation in his teaching and research. They also remember him as a very likeable colleague with independent views on many issues outside of his music and scientific interests.
Is fíor nach mbeidh a leithéid ann arís.
He retired from academic life in 1999 and died in Galway on December 4th, 2007.
He is survived by Catherine, his wife, friend and partner for many years, by his brothers Liam, Colm, Brian and Eoin, his sisters Máire, Laoise, Bríd, Siobhán and Caitrióna. His brother Ciarán predeceased him.
Pádraig Ó Carra, born February 10th, 1938; died December 4th, 2007