Aodogán O'Rahilly

References:

Looking back on fevered times ..., interview with Aodogán O'Rahilly, UCD News, Jan 1996.

Was supposed to be reference to Aodogán in this but I can't find it:

Dublin made me, Todd Andrews, 1979.
Sources yet to be consulted:
- The Civil War: A Teenager's Recollections 70 years on, Aodogán O'Rahilly, Tipperary Historical Journal, 1992.
- "The Madness from within", RTE TV documentary on Civil War, Jan 1998 - interview with Aodogán recalling atrocity by his own (Republican) side.
- What If? Alternative Views of Twentieth Century Ireland, Diarmaid Ferriter, 2006 - quotes old interview with Aodogán on 1916 rising.

Aodogán O'Rahilly,
born 22nd Sept 1904,
educ Mount St Benedict, Gorey, Co.Wexford,
[O'Rahilly, 1991] recalled in 1914, age 9, he was at Portmarnock with brothers and Humphreys cousins, there was an outing of Baden-Powell boy scouts there, flying a Union Jack, "we watched our chance and, when there was no one around, we rushed in and removed the flag which we either buried or burnt",
a story remembered on the Humphreys side was of when he was offered cakes by Aunt Anno; children were supposed to take the worst, smallest cake; leave big ones for others; Aodogán immediately goes for biggest cake of all, Anno scolds him, "Why did you take the best one?", "Well", says Aodogán, "wouldn't I be a fool if I didn't?",

fought on Republican side in Civil War 1922,
educ UCD, missed a year due to taking part in Civil War, BSc 1925, BE 1926, 1st class hons in Mech and Electrical Eng,
engineer, businessman, went into business 1929 making roofing tiles,

mar 30th Jan 1934 to Marion O'Connor [Irish-American, born US, 10th Oct 1905],
she was dau of Michael Joseph O'Connor, who was born nr Drumhierney, Co.Leitrim, emigrated to New York as a boy, caught poaching at the local manor Drumhierney House, said would come back and buy it, and he did,
Drumhierney House is now derelict, see [Irish Country Houses],
they lived Moreen, junction of Belgard Rd and Naas Rd, Clondalkin (opposite Newlands golf course, townland of Mooreenaruggan, but they spell house Moreen, NOT Mooreen), house built 1936, Aodogán listed as living there by [Thom's, 1938],

Aodogán was a successful businessman, extensive interests in manufacturing and shipping,
served on Board of Directors of Bord na Móna (formerly the Turf Development Board) 1936-74,
the original state interest in peat began 1933, Turf Development Board established 1936, Bord na Móna established as a statutory body 1946, see history,
Aodogán was NOT a co-founder, rather he was brought in as a Director early on,
peat became very important in WW2, when lack of shipping meant Ireland had to produce its own energy,

he was appointed by de Valera to University Commission c.1957/8, in the minority report he proposed that UCD (then in town) should merge with TCD to form a single non-sectarian university, he was personally denounced for this in Lenten Pastoral by Archbishop McQuaid, see Irish Times 18 Dec 1999,
Chairman of Bord na Móna 1959-74,
in 1959 he bought and revived Greenore Port, Co.Louth (on Carlingford Lough, opposite NI), formed Greenore Ferry Services (Director, Greenore Ferry Services Ltd), planted one of the largest modern private forestry plantations in Ireland,
the Taoiseach Seán Lemass sent Marion a telegram of condolence when her father died 1961, [NAI] s 16768B/61,
received Hon D.Litt. 1972 from NUI for contribution to industry and business,
retired from Bord na Móna 1974,
wrote biography of his father, 1991, age 86 yrs,
presented his papers to [UCD] 1994,
they celebrated 60th wedding anniversary Jan 1994,
Marion died Wed 14th Sept 1994, age 88 yrs,
removal Fri 16th Sept at Clondalkin,
funeral Sat 17th Sept, bur Esker cemetery, Lucan,

he died Wed 31st May 2000, age 95 yrs, funeral Sat 3rd June,
see obituary, Irish Times, 3rd June,
had issue:

Nuala O'Rahilly, mar Brian Price and had issue:
1. Shane Price, mar Orla Bracken and had issue:
  1. Rory Price.
2. Mark Price.
3. Tracy Price.
4. Vanessa Price.
Eoin O'Rahilly, mar Margaret King and had issue:
1. Lorna O'Rahilly.
Ronan O'Rahilly,
founder of the most famous and influential pirate radio station, Radio Caroline 1964,
co-producer of the cult film Girl on a Motorcycle (1968) starring Marianne Faithfull.
Roisín O'Rahilly, mar Adrian de Pasquale and had issue.
Iseult O'Rahilly, mar Lee Broglio and had issue:
1. Frank Broglio, mar Jennifer ---- and had issue:
  1. Emily Broglio.

Aodogán wrote many letters to the Irish Times. For example:
- Family history:
- Political comment:
  - 1 Apr 1996
  - 10 July 1998
The movie The Boat That Rocked (2009) will be loosely based on the Radio Caroline story and period.

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