Máiréad Ní Chinnéide, who has died aged 72, was a widely respected journalist, author and editor, who was born in Ballymena, Co Antrim, and lived her life through Irish.
Her earliest published writings were for children, including a monthly column in An tUltach; a book of stories called Cnoc na Sí (1976) and Bainne na Bó, a history of milk and dairy products in collaboration with artist Clíodhna Cussen, followed in 1986.
Her other books include Máire de Buitléir: Bean Athbheochana (1993); Ag tógáil clainne le Gaeilge - Speaking Irish at Home (2001) for the organisation Comhluadar; An Damer: Stair Amharclainne (2008) and Scéal Ghael-Linn (2013).
Ní Chinnéide was involved in all aspects of Irish literary life in Dublin. She was a regular adjudicator and a member of Coiste Liteartha an Oireachtais, which recognises and awards writers in the Irish language; she was a driving force in the Irish-language women’s forum Párlaimint na mBan and she worked for many years with Fondúireacht an Phiarsaigh, which awards Gradam an Phiarsaigh annually to honour the idealism of Pádraig Pearse.
Journalism
As a journalist, she contributed many articles and interviews to
The Irish Times
and she also wrote for earlier publications, including the
Irish Press
and the weekly Irish language newspapers
Anois
and
Foinse
.
She also contributed to periodicals such as Feasta and Comhar, and worked regularly as a newspaper reviewer for Raidió na Gaeltachta on its early morning news programme Adhmhaidin. When she became a member of the board of the Irish-language publishing company Comhar, she was books editor for a time and she was also a valued mentor and editor for budding writers over many years.
Her father, David Kennedy, who taught physics at St Malachy’s College, Belfast, was recognised as a perceptive historian, while her mother, Margaret O’Hagan, was a primary school teacher with Derry roots.
After secondary schooling at Fortwilliam Dominican College in Belfast, Ní Chinnéide attended University College, Dublin, where she graduated in 1963 in Irish and French.
There she met her future husband, Art Ó Maolfabhail, through An Cumann Gaelach and An Cumann Drámaíochta. In 1966, having married, she settled permanently in Dublin.
Sporting activity
Ní Chinnéide learned Irish dancing at the Patricia Mulholland School in Belfast. She was a member of the Northern Ireland senior netball team and later in Dublin played camogie for UCD, on the team which won the Ashbourne medal for inter-varsity camogie.
She continued her love of athletics as she grew older, running regularly in the Phoenix Park and swimming in the sea, as she had done since childhood holidays in Carnlough on the Antrim coast.
She is survived by her widower, Art Ó Maolfabhail, and her son, Dónall, her sister Máire and her brother David, her nephews and nieces and many relatives, colleagues and friends.