Tributes to late historian Donnchadh Ó Corráin

The death of medieval historian Donnchadh Ó Corráin has been marked with fond tributes by friends, academics and ex-students.

The retired professor at University College Cork had published his most recent book, The Irish Church, its Reform and the English Invasion, earlier this year — 45 years after his first title.

National University of Ireland Chancellor Maurice Manning said Prof Ó Corráin was one of the foremost historians of medieval Ireland.

“A keen intellect and a sharp wit, combined with a strong spirit of scholarly generosity, made him a brilliant lecturer, mentor and friend to a generation of medievalists,” Mr Manning said.

He expressed sympathy to his widow, Fidelma Maguire, and their four children.

The subjects of his research and writing included the early middle ages, Irish law, church and culture, Irish manuscripts, Viking studies.

He was also interested in computer applications in the humanities, especially the creation of corpora and the analysis of text. He was a founder and director of the ArCH, CELT, and Multi-Text projects in UCC.

Ireland’s ambassador to the US, Dan Mulhall, was taught early Irish history by Mr Ó Corráin at UCC in the 1970s and described him as “a lively, inspiring lecturer”.

Removal will be from his home in Bishopstown this evening at 7pm to the Church of the Holy Spirit, Dennehy’s Cross.

A funeral Mass at 12pm tomorrow will be followed by a private cremation.