OBITUARIES

This is our chronological archive of the local, national and international obituaries and tributes that have been published by the Irish Examiner.

Siobhán O’Dowd: Remembering a Cork community icon and human rights activist
Siobhán O’Dowd: Remembering a Cork community icon and human rights activist
Siobhán O’Dowd’s decades-long activism in Cork transformed communities, championed equality, and helped put rainbow flags on public buildings

Tue, 03 Jun, 2025

Pope Francis Address The Festival Of Families
Pope Francis: 1936 — 2025
Pope Francis’ papacy was marked by reform, resistance, and contradictions. Will his legacy endure?

Mon, 21 Apr, 2025

Mick O'Dwyer: remembering the GAA revolutionary who reshaped Gaelic football across generations
Mick O'Dwyer: remembering the GAA revolutionary who reshaped Gaelic football across generations
From Waterville to nationwide legend, Micko’s extraordinary legacy as player and manager changed the GAA forever

Sat, 05 Apr, 2025

Obituary: Eoin French was a beautiful person who made wonderful music as Talos 
Obituary: Eoin French was a beautiful person who made wonderful music as Talos 
Raised in a music-loving household in Kilcully, the Cork musician released three albums as Talos, and collaborated with well-known figures around the world

Thu, 27 Mar, 2025

Matt Murphy's extraordinary legacy on Sherkin Island will serve marine Ireland well 
S Matt Murphy's extraordinary legacy on Sherkin Island will serve marine Ireland well 
The work of the committed environmentalist, outspoken critic, and risk-taking entrepreneur at Sherkin Island Marine Station is crucial to understanding our marine ecosystem, writes Val Cummins

Wed, 19 Mar, 2025

Tipperary v Cork - Munster Senior Hurling Championship Final
A Cork GAA immortal, Ger Fitzgerald's legacy can't be quantified by counting medals
The Midleton clubman won plenty with the Magpies and the Rebels in a glittering career. 

Tue, 18 Mar, 2025

Bishop Willie Walsh provided leadership and a humane response in the church's darkest hour
Bishop Willie Walsh provided leadership and a humane response in the church's darkest hour
Bishop Willie Walsh, a compassionate leader who championed truth and reconciliation, has died at the age of 90

Sat, 22 Feb, 2025

Obituary: John Furlong, an ‘Angel of Bessborough’, helped women flee mother and baby home
Obituary: John Furlong, an ‘Angel of Bessborough’, helped women flee mother and baby home
Speaking to the Irish Examiner in 2023, Mr Furlong said of the mother and baby homes: 'When it all came out a few years ago, I remember thinking we knew that was going on. Everyone knew'

Fri, 21 Feb, 2025

Michael Longley and the Songbird of Iran
Michael Longley and the Songbird of Iran
Mr Longley died at the age of 85 in hospital

Thu, 06 Feb, 2025

Liam Kirwan, professor of surgery at CUH, 'worked tirelessly for the people of Munster'
Liam Kirwan, professor of surgery at CUH, 'worked tirelessly for the people of Munster'
Liam’s surgical expertise was most obvious to those who worked with him in the operating theatre, who described him as 'incredibly gifted', 'one of the finest surgeons I have known', and 'a master of the art'

Sun, 02 Feb, 2025

Showband star and 'beloved entertainer' Paddy Cole dies at 85
Showband star and 'beloved entertainer' Paddy Cole dies at 85
Mr Cole was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2022 and had received hospice care before his death

Wed, 22 Jan, 2025

Tributes following death of former Cork county councillor Des O’Grady
Tributes following death of former Cork county councillor Des O’Grady
He stepped down ahead of the 2019 local elections to allow a cooption.

Fri, 10 Jan, 2025

Notable deaths: The people we said goodbye to in 2024
Notable deaths: The people we said goodbye to in 2024
From the world of music, film, politics, and more, this year saw the passing of many that were household names

Wed, 01 Jan, 2025

Ed Power: Dickie Rock was Ireland’s Elvis — a homegrown rock icon
Ed Power: Dickie Rock was Ireland’s Elvis — a homegrown rock icon
The late showband star had terrific insight into his own star quality: 'I wasn’t born six foot one and fantastic looking, like Elvis. Still, neither was Sinatra or Tony Bennett. But something happens, you give off something, whatever it is'

Sun, 08 Dec, 2024

Liam Payne death
Liam Payne: A teenager thrust into global boyband mania before solo artist fame
At 16, Payne became part of a group that would become one of The X Factor’s biggest success stories — One Direction

Thu, 17 Oct, 2024

Mary O'Rourke
Mary O'Rourke: A lioness in Winter 
Mary O'Rourke was a genuine trailblazer for women in public life and will be remembered with affection, writes Joan Burton

Fri, 04 Oct, 2024

UCC Frank O'Connor panel.
Edna O’Brien: From Irish villain to national icon — an appreciation 
It is probably difficult for younger generations to understand from today’s vantage point why one of Ireland’s greatest writers was once vilified in her home country

Fri, 02 Aug, 2024

RTE Gaelic Games Commentator Micheal O Muircheartaigh commentates on his last All-Ireland Senior Championship Final
S Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh’s greatest skill was allowing the blind to see
The commentator and broadcaster died that rarest of things: a man more beloved than most of the heroes who played the games he called, writes Colin Sheridan 

Fri, 28 Jun, 2024

Bernard Allen: A real gentleman, a proud Cork man and a true patriot
Bernard Allen: A real gentleman, a proud Cork man and a true patriot
As a local councillor, as a TD and minister, Bernard was a tireless worker for his Cork North Central constituents, the wider Cork community and the people of Ireland

Wed, 26 Jun, 2024

Donald Sutherland
Donald Sutherland: An aristocrat of the big screen
The late actor was a commanding and versatile presence on the big screen, perfecting everything from villainy to sensuality in films such as Don’t Look Now and Klute

Fri, 21 Jun, 2024

Obituary: MicheĂĄl Sheridan, a man who devoted his time solely to helping others
Obituary: MicheĂĄl Sheridan, a man who devoted his time solely to helping others
A displaced Cavan man who had made Cork and Limerick his homes, MicheĂĄl Sheridan passed away at the Mercy Hospital which had benefited from some of his countless charity work over the years, says Jonathan Healy

Fri, 07 Jun, 2024

OJ Simpson arrives at Heathrow airport
OJ Simpson: the complicated cultural legacy of a fallen star
The death of the once-loved NFL star and actor leaves a trail of wreckage from his tabloid notoriety as double murder suspect

Fri, 12 Apr, 2024

Dr Bridget Rose Dugdale
Rose Dugdale: The English heiress who gave away her money and joined the Provisional IRA 
An Oxford-educated debutante and heiress whose unconventional life spiralled through political activism into republican violence

 Listen | Fri, 22 Mar, 2024

 Listen |
Obituary: Fond farewell to a tango dancer extraordinaire
Obituary: Fond farewell to a tango dancer extraordinaire
There was a fitting send-off for the late James McManus who fell in love with tango at the age of 30 and remained an avid dancer for more than seven decades 

Sat, 16 Mar, 2024

John Bruton: The conviction politician who became a pragmatist
John Bruton: The conviction politician who became a pragmatist
John Bruton’s was a life dedicated to public service and Irish people should speak his name with pride

Tue, 06 Feb, 2024

Once described as a 'walking scarecrow' Ian Bailey leaves many circling for answers
Once described as a 'walking scarecrow' Ian Bailey leaves many circling for answers
The sudden death of former journalist Ian Bailey this week has left both Ireland and France with more questions than answers, writes Noel Baker

Fri, 26 Jan, 2024

Obituary: The diligent Irish postmistress whose weather report delayed D-Day 
Obituary: The diligent Irish postmistress whose weather report delayed D-Day 
Maureen Sweeney, who has died aged 100, has been described as the woman who saved D-Day, but she had no idea that her weather forecast would assume such significance when she went out in the early hours of  June 3, 1944 to take another hourly ...

Fri, 22 Dec, 2023

Obituary: Jonathan Irwin, gentle giant of Irish society whose work helped thousands
Obituary: Jonathan Irwin, gentle giant of Irish society whose work helped thousands
Philanthropist who reshaped charity landscape was first thrust into the glare of public life in his role as sporting visionary

Sat, 16 Dec, 2023

Shane MacGowan
S Colin Sheridan: Great poet Shane MacGowan’s written words will endure 
Despite the sadness of MacGowan’s final years, as with all the great poets, it will be his written word that ultimately endures

Thu, 30 Nov, 2023

Henry Kissinger death
Henry Kissinger was trusted confidant to Nixon until the bitter and bizarre end
Decades later, the scene is still almost too bizarre to imagine: a tearful president and his perplexed aide, neither very religious, kneeling on the floor of a White House bedroom in prayer in the waning hours of a shattered presidency.

Thu, 30 Nov, 2023

Ben Dunne's IRA kidnap, arrest in Florida, and 'thanks, big fella': Episodes in a life lived large 
S Ben Dunne's IRA kidnap, arrest in Florida, and 'thanks, big fella': Episodes in a life lived large 
Ben Dunne's life could have been very different if he hadn't been held for ransom. But after that trauma and subsequent controversies, he created a further chapter in business

Mon, 20 Nov, 2023

Irish Examiner view: Posterity will be generous to the memory of the late Ben Dunne
Irish Examiner view: Posterity will be generous to the memory of the late Ben Dunne
As one of Ben Dunne's sons stated on social media, he was 'a good and decent man'. Rest in peace, Ben Dunne — 1949-2023

Mon, 20 Nov, 2023

'Ben Dunne led a life less ordinary': Tributes paid to controversial businessman
'Ben Dunne led a life less ordinary': Tributes paid to controversial businessman
Fellow past pupils of Cork's Presentation Brothers College remember Ben Dunne as 'always jolly' and 'easy to get on with'

Sun, 19 Nov, 2023

Former Finnish president and Nobel Peace Prize winner Martti Ahtisaari dies
Former Finnish president and Nobel Peace Prize winner Martti Ahtisaari dies
The foundation he created for preventing and resolving violent conflicts said he had died on Monday

Mon, 16 Oct, 2023

Tributes to 'renowned academic' and 'true gentleman' Professor Dermot Keogh 
Tributes to 'renowned academic' and 'true gentleman' Professor Dermot Keogh 
Prof Keogh died peacefully at home in Cork City following an illness. He was 78

Thu, 07 Sep, 2023

Graham Norton Show
Obituary: Michael Parkinson, king of the chat show
At the height of his fame in the 1970s and 1980s, millions of people tuned in every week to see him tease revelations out of the stars that shared his studio

Thu, 17 Aug, 2023

Sinead O'Connor
SinĂ©ad O'Connor, 1966-2023 — Icon and iconoclast
'May her spirit find the peace she sought in so many different ways' — President Michael D Higgins

Thu, 27 Jul, 2023

Tony Bennett in concert - London
Tony Bennett, US singer with seven-decade career, dies aged 96
Award-winning pop and jazz singer became torchbearer for Great American Songbook

Fri, 21 Jul, 2023

Graham Knuttel had a personal life as colourful as his paintings
Graham Knuttel had a personal life as colourful as his paintings
Graham Knuttel, who died aged 69 at his home in Dublin, was one of Ireland’s most colourful artists. He is best-known for his paintings of underworld characters, animals and fish. He also worked as a sculptor and designer.

Fri, 02 Jun, 2023

Tina Turner obituary: Star overcame horrific abuse to find joy with kidney donor husband
Tina Turner obituary: Star overcame horrific abuse to find joy with kidney donor husband
Rock’n’roll singer whose comeback after her turbulent early career made her one of the great superstars of the 1980s and 90s

Thu, 25 May, 2023

SOCIAL Women
Tina Turner: Queen of rock ‘n’ roll with a commanding stage presence
Tina Turner secured her status as the queen of rock ‘n’ roll with a catalogue of powerful hits

Wed, 24 May, 2023

Patrick McMullan Archives
Edward O’Sullivan: Celeb stylist from Kerry ‘lit up every room’ he entered
Edward O’Sullivan was 52, and had been living and working in the US fashion industry for over three decades.

Sat, 13 May, 2023

Len Goodman death
Len Goodman: Apprentice fitter who went on to become the best fit for BBC's Strictly
A keen footballer, Goodman's playing days were ended early by a foot injury and a doctor advised him to continue ballroom dancing, which eventually led him to TV stardom on Strictly Come Dancing

Sat, 29 Apr, 2023

Harry Belafonte
Harry Belafonte: Singer, actor, and activist who matched his genial persona with political commitment
By the mid-1950s, the singer Harry Belafonte had taken the lead role in an Oscar-nominated film, Carmen Jones; reached No 1 with his album Calypso, which helped find a mainstream audience for that musical style and became the first album ever to ...

Fri, 28 Apr, 2023

The British Soap Awards 2007 - Press Room - London
Jerry Springer, from politician to influential US talkshow host
Jerry Springer, the one-time mayor and news anchor whose namesake TV show featured a three-ring circus of dysfunctional guests willing to bare all — sometimes literally — as they brawled and hurled obscenities before a raucous audience, died on ...

Fri, 28 Apr, 2023

Robin Power: One of Ireland’s earliest property developers who cut deals with the likes of Donald Trump
Robin Power: One of Ireland’s earliest property developers who cut deals with the likes of Donald Trump
Robin Power cut deals with the like of Donald Trump as well as expanding a property empire to London and the US West Coast

Sun, 23 Apr, 2023

Henry McDonald death
Henry McDonald: Lively writing explored the Troubles with empathy and fascination
Belfast journalist and author had relatives on both sides of the religious divide and enjoyed exploring the Troubles with empathy and fascination

Sat, 25 Feb, 2023

John Motson File Photo
John Motson: BBC’s voice of football for nearly half a century
John Motson, who has died aged 77, was BBC television’s “voice” of football for almost half a century, commentating for Match of the Day from 1971 until his retirement in 2018 and becoming affectionately known as “Motty”.

Sat, 25 Feb, 2023

Dickie Davies: presenter of ITV’s World of Sport for two decades
Dickie Davies: presenter of ITV’s World of Sport for two decades
Popular presenter also hosted coverage of Olympic Games and FA Cup finals

Fri, 24 Feb, 2023

Raquel Welch
Raquel Welch obituary: Sex symbol whose later roles showed aptitude for comedy
Raquel Welch (Jo-Raquel Tejada), actor, born 5 September 1940; died 15 February 2023

Sat, 18 Feb, 2023

Gentle, generous, thoughtful — Deirdre Purcell's life was a lesson in friendship
Gentle, generous, thoughtful — Deirdre Purcell's life was a lesson in friendship
'The phenomenally successful woman who had so many careers arguably put more effort into quietly helping other professionals than will ever be known,' writes Terry Prone

Sat, 18 Feb, 2023

'Whatever he did, he did it in the John Miller way': Tributes paid to former director of Cork Vision Centre
'Whatever he did, he did it in the John Miller way': Tributes paid to former director of Cork Vision Centre
John X Miller is remembered for his contribution to Cork’s civic, creative, and diplomatic presence

Fri, 17 Feb, 2023

Niamh Breathnach changed lives for the better, and her impact will last for generations
Niamh Breathnach changed lives for the better, and her impact will last for generations
She will be remembered as one of the most consequential education ministers we’ve ever had

Sat, 11 Feb, 2023

Burt Bacharach
Burt Bacharach obituary: The king of easy-listening pop
Songwriter whose hits, including 'I Say a Little Prayer' and 'Walk on By', became classics of easy-listening pop

Fri, 10 Feb, 2023

Obituary: Niamh Bhreathnach dedicated her life to combatting education disadvantage
Obituary: Niamh Bhreathnach dedicated her life to combatting education disadvantage
Ms Bhreathnach was the Labour Party minister responsible for the abolition of third-level fees in the 1990s

Fri, 10 Feb, 2023

Brian Looney’s life was a rollercoaster, but provides a timely lesson
Brian Looney’s life was a rollercoaster, but provides a timely lesson
I learned more about journalism, and its true role and importance in our society, in the first three months with Brian than I did in the decade I had spent in Irish journalism up to that date, writes Dolan O'Hagan.

Sat, 14 Jan, 2023

Cyril Cusack remembered: 'He never stopped being a character'
S Cyril Cusack remembered: 'He never stopped being a character'
A Christmas documentary on TG4 will delve into the life of Cyril Cusack, recalling roles from Hollywood films to Glenroe 

Tue, 20 Dec, 2022

File Photo Vicky Phelan has described herself as an Òemotional basket caseÓ as she agonises over whether to begin a new clinical
'A woman of extraordinary courage': CervicalCheck campaigner Vicky Phelan dies 
Vicky Phelan is survived by her two children, Amelia (16) and Darragh (10)

Mon, 14 Nov, 2022

Obituary: Ted Crosbie, Cork's quintessential newspaperman
Obituary: Ted Crosbie, Cork's quintessential newspaperman
For three decades the dominant force in the Irish Examiner newspaper group, Ted Crosbie steered it through huge technical change

Mon, 10 Oct, 2022

Obituary: Olivia Newton-John the 'Miss Goody Two-Shoes'
Obituary: Olivia Newton-John the 'Miss Goody Two-Shoes'
Singer and actor with a girl-next-door reputation whose career rocketed after her starring role as Sandy in Grease

Tue, 09 Aug, 2022

Obituary: Former RTÉ director general Joe Barry changed the face of Irish broadcasting
Obituary: Former RTÉ director general Joe Barry changed the face of Irish broadcasting
The dynamic Dunmanway man was pivotal in the staging of Eurovision and Riverdance, and launched RTÉ's regional studios and the precursor to TG4

Sat, 09 Jul, 2022

Obituary: Andrew Mac Donagh, aka DJ Fork, Cork music stalwart  
Obituary: Andrew Mac Donagh, aka DJ Fork, Cork music stalwart  
Largely raised in Mallow, as a DJ and graphic designer, Mac Donagh was associated with the Mother Jones Flea Market, the Donkey's Ears, and Sir Henry's, among other venues 

Wed, 28 Jul, 2021

Soccer - Football League Division One - Chelsea v Liverpool
Ian St John obituary: Diminutive Scot who became one of Liverpool’s all-time greats
He may have been just 5ft 7ins tall but what Ian St John lacked in size he made up for in stature.

Tue, 02 Mar, 2021

Down On The Farm With John Pullin
John Pullin obituary: An England captain of great honour and powerful actions
At the height of The Troubles in 1973, John Pullin, who died last week aged 79, led England to play in Dublin where Scotland and Wales had refused to play the previous year

Mon, 08 Feb, 2021

Cara O'Sullivan obituary: Charisma and warmth brought Cara's talent and technical perfection to audience she cherished
Cara O'Sullivan obituary: Charisma and warmth brought Cara's talent and technical perfection to audience she cherished
Her friend and collaborator John O'Brien pays tribute to a woman who was 'pure class'

Sat, 30 Jan, 2021

Khalid Abdullah obituary: The founder of a racing legacy beyond equal 
Khalid Abdullah obituary: The founder of a racing legacy beyond equal 
The Saudi prince was the driving force behind generations of many of the best horses to grace the turf

Tue, 12 Jan, 2021

Obituary: Donal Musgrave’s gift will live long after him
Obituary: Donal Musgrave’s gift will live long after him
Donal Musgrave August 13, 1942 – December 26, 2020

Sat, 02 Jan, 2021

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