Donagh O’Malley

The Leaving and Junior Certificate State Exams commence next Wednesday, 4th June and today thousands of students across the country are making last minute preparations and ‘cramming’ every nugget of information into the head. How many of them will be aware of the name Donagh O’Malley? Hard to believe but just under sixty years ago landmark legislation brought about by O’Malley change the face of Irish education. The introduction of free secondary education would in turn transform Ireland.

 O’Malley died suddenly aged 47 in 1968 and undoubtedly he would have had a long and successful political career had he lived. Speaking at the funeral in Limerick, Taoiseach Jack Lynch who gave the graveside oration stated:

Mr. Lynch, said that all Ireland and especially young Ireland mourned the death of Mr. O'Malley. He said that Mr. O'Malley had brought to his political life a sense of social justice and ah engaging candour and these with his devotion to his wife and family were only some of the characteristics that "marked him out as a man apart. Generations of Irish people would continue to pay tribute to Mr. O'Malley. "He not only saw horizons that few of us dreamed of, but he reached out beyond them." Mr. Lynch said that present and future generations of Irish children would thank Mr. O'Malley for opening new _opportunities for them. He said that Mr. O'Malley had dedicated himself to his work and the great tribute to that work was the huge attendance at the funeral. The best service they could pay to his memory was to continue his work. Mr. Lynch thanked the other political parties for cooperating in postponing the sitting of the Dail for the funeral.

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