Pádraig Ó Siochrú, who has died aged 80, was a former officer in the Defence Forces, a newsreader with RTÉ and an award-winning Irish-language writer. He also acted on the stages of Taibhdhearc na Gaillimhe and Halla Damer, Dublin.
"Fear fíor uasal" a bhí ann de réir a bhuanchara agus a chomh-aisteoir, an Capt Pádraig Ó Cearbhaill. Deir sé go dtugtaí páirteanna uaslathacha nó aristocratic i gcónaí do Phádraig Ó Siochrú, ar nós pháirt An Tiarna Éadbhard i ndráma Christine Longford, Lord Edward Fitzgerald; páirt Caesar French i ndráma MJ Molloy, The King of Friday's Men (Fir Rí na hAoine); agus páirt uasaicmeach Robert de Baudricourt, i ndráma George Bernard Shaw, Saint Joan (San Siobhán).
Born in Rathmines, Dublin, in 1927, he was one of the five children of Mícheál Ó Siochrú and his wife Siobhán. His father, a War of Independence veteran from Mastergeehy, Co Kerry, was chief inspector of industrial schools.
Growing up in an Irish-speaking household, Ó Siochrú spoke Irish before learning to speak English. He attended Scoil Cholm Cille, Marlborough Street, and Coláiste Mhuire, Parnell Square, entering the Military College in the Curragh in 1945. He received his commission in 1947 and was posted to the Irish-speaking battalion, An Chéad Chath, at Renmore Barracks, Galway.
Subsequent postings took him to Finner Camp, Co Donegal, and the Curragh, where he worked on translating Army rules, regulations and commands into Irish. In the 1960s, he served as chief liaison officer with UN peacekeeping forces in the Congo. He retired from the Army in 1965 with the rank of captain.
Ó Siochrú joined RTÉ as a news editor in 1966, and regularly presented An Nuacht, both on radio and television. He also hosted a series of televised interviews with public figures. He retired in 1986.
I seomra nuachta RTÉ i bhFómhar na bliana 1968 a chuir Liam Mac Con Iomaire aithne ar Phádraig Ó Siochrú. "Bhíomar beirt inár mbaill de mheitheal oibre ar dheasc na nuachta, nach raibh a sárú le fáil ó thaobh meanman agus comhluadair. Chuir Pádraig Ó Siochrú go mór leis an gcomhluadar sin, lena sháracmhainn grinn agus lena scéilíní spéisiúla agus barrúla faoina shaol san Arm, go háirithe sa Chéad Chath ar an Rinn Mhóir i nGaillimh idir 1948 agus 1958, agus faoi Thaibhdhearc na Gaillimhe, áit a raibh sé ina dhlúthchara ag daoine mar Aodh Mac Dhubháin agus Siobhán Nic Chionnaith."
Ó Siochrú translated plays by Irish playwrights such as Roger McHugh (Rossa) and Joseph Tomelty (Is the Priest at Home?), as well as plays by popular authors such as Agatha Christie (Witness for the Prosecution), Frederick Knott (Dial 'M' for Murder) and Neil Simon (The Odd Couple). He also wrote original plays, including An Glaodhach Deireannach and An Té atá gan Peaca.
Léitheoir cíocrach agus bailitheoir leabhar a bhí i bPádraig, rud a d'fhág a sheomra leabhar thuas staighre i mBaile na Lobhar ag cur thar maoil i gcónaí, le leabhair Sháirséal agus Dill agus An Chlub Leabhair, agus go leor eile nach iad. Mhairfeadh sé ag plé scríbhneoireachta de chineál ar bith, agus bhí sleachta fada de ghlanmheabhair aige as scríbhinní a thaitin leis, idir phrós agus fhilíocht agus, ar ndóigh, drámaí. Comhráití mór a bhí ann; ba bhreá leis díospóireacht, ach ní théadh sé ag argóint.
His plays for children include: Fágaim le hUacht é (1956); Carraig an Aifrinn (1962); Peats Aerach agus an Bás (1964 and 1971); An Baile faoin Loch (1988); Sláinte chugat, a Rí (1988); Ceol na Sí (1993), An Choill Draíochta (1994) and Liam na Leisce agus Teach na Gaoithe (1996).
Plays of his were selected for the anthologies Ceithre Dhráma do Leanaí (1979) and 33 Dramaí do Ghasúir Scoile (1989). His stories for children include: Prionsa na mBréag (1990); The Good Soldier Johnny Doyle (a retelling in English of Johnny Doyle by Seán Ó Conaill, 1990); and The Greatest Rogue in Ireland (based on Scéal Bhricriú, 1992). He wrote 20 radio plays for RTÉ. As well as adapting An Giall by Brendan Behan for television, he wrote the television play, An Fear Faire (1968). He received several Oireachtas awards for writing.
He co-operated with Tomás de Bhaldraithe in the provision of military terms for the English-Irish dictionary. A regular adjudicator at amateur drama festivals, he was drama critic for Feasta magazine (1960-63) and also wrote theatre reviews for the Irish Press.
A former Army high-jump champion, he was a founder member of Leopardstown Golf Club and was still playing in his 80th year.
He is survived by his wife Úna, sons Dónal and Eoin, and daughters Niamh and Dairíona.
Pádraig Ó Siochrú: born January 20th, 1927; died June 10th, 2007