Mícheál Ó Dubhshláine: Mícheál Ó Dubhshláine, who has died aged 64, was the former principal of Scoil Náisiúnta Naomh Gobnait, Dún Chaoin, who was at the centre of a local controversy that became a national issue.
He began teaching there in an unofficial capacity after the government of the day closed the school in 1970.
The school's only teacher was transferred to Baile an Fheirtéaraigh and the government also wanted the pupils to move.
But the community resisted and what was then a local problem came to national attention. The campaign gained momentum and people marched to Dublin in protest. The government, however, refused to reverse its decision.
But the community of Dún Chaoin was determined to keep the school open and defied the government order. Mícheál Ó Dubhshláine volunteered as a teacher, and local people and their supporters throughout the country funded his salary.
With the change of government in 1973 the Department of Education decided to recognise the school, and Mícheál Ó Dubhshláine was officially appointed its teacher.
However, when he sought to retire in 2001 the department informed him that his years as an "unofficial" teacher would not be taken into account for pension purposes; accordingly, he postponed his retirement until 2003.
San aitheasc moltach taréis aifreann na sochraide i Sáipéal Dhún Chaoin, dúirt an file agus scríobhnóir Domhnall Mac a' tSíthigh: "Bhí ana thuiscint aige ar an mbéaloideas agus ar chúrsaí an tseanshaoil. Phréamhaigh sé a mhodhanna oideachais agus a scileanna staire ar an ngné áitiúil. Thuig sé leis go dianmhaith an saol nua agus buntáistí nua aimsearatha. Bhí sé mar mháistir ar an ríomhaire. Thar éinní eile fear físe ab ea é go raibh aige smaointeoireacht agus fealsúnacht faoi leith."
There were many strings to his bow. A poet and playwright, he secured an honours MA in local history at NUI Maynooth in 1994. He had in April completed a 150,000-word history of Inis Mhic Uileáin island (Inishvickillane), Co Kerry.
He acknowledged the help of the former taoiseach Charles Haughey who provided "a lot of information and documentation on the island".
His first book was Óigbhean Uasal ó Phríomhchathair Éireann (1992), about the drowning in 1909 of Eileen Nicholls and Dónal Ó Criomhthain (son of Tomás, the author of An tOileánach). An English-language translation, A Dark Day on the Blaskets, was published in 2003.
His second book, An Baol dom tú? Muintir Chorca Dhuibhne agus an Ghaeilge 1860-1940, was published in 2000 and reflects his extensive knowledge of the area's traditions. Another book, Are You Going Home Now? Memories of Kilkea, awaits publication.
Born in 1942, he was one of the three children of Michael and Jean Delaney. Originally from Laois, the family moved to Kilkea, Co Kildare, when he was three.
He was educated at Knockbeg College, Carlow, and trained as a teacher at St Patrick's College, Drumcondra. He first taught at Newbridge national school in Co Kildare, obtaining a BA as an evening student at University College Dublin. He then became a secondary school teacher at Wesley College, Ballinteer in Dublin.
While preparing to spend a sabbatical year in Germany, he attended a meeting in the Mansion House, Dublin, concerning Dún Chaoin school. There he volunteered for teaching duties, and he took his first class in November 1970.
Pupils and parents alike held him in high esteem. "Aithníodh é mar oideachasóir a bhí i bhfad roimh a ré lena chuid múinteoireachta," dar le Mícheál de Mórdha agus é ag scríobh i Foinse.
"Do chuir sé gnéithe den oidhreacht nádúrtha, den stair áitiúil, den gceol agus den mbéaloideas os comhair a chuid daltaí ar bhealach réidh a chuaigh i bhfeidhm ar gach aon duine a mhúin sé."
He also arranged for his pupils to attend schools in Italy and Denmark with the assistance of Scéim Comenius, a European programme for primary schools designed to assist in understanding cultural differences.
He always had a warm welcome for visitors to Dún Chaoin, among them Vlad Znorko, a French dramatist of Polish origin, who established a temporary theatre in Baile na Rátha.
He put local schoolchildren on stage, and later arranged for them to travel to France where they performed in theatres in Forbach, Limoges, Lyons and Marseilles; Mícheál Ó Dubhshláine regarded this as one of the highlights of his teaching career.
Another visitor, Robert Brummett, became a close friend and led many tours from the United States to Corcha Dhuibhne. "Always, Michael [ sic] was an important part of the trip for my guests. He took them on walks through the Old Cemetery and up An Clasach. He hosted them at the school. He told them folk tales around a peat fire, Stories, stories, stories - every few yards would be another story."
He is survived by his wife Áine, sons Donie and Breandán, daughters Sorcha and Sinéad, and granddaughter Nicole.
Mícheál Ó Dubhshláine: born April 6th, 1942; died May 27th, 2006