Family tree - O'Rahilly - Aodogán O'Rahilly |
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Aodogán O'Rahilly,
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,
they spelt house Moreen,
but it is now spelt Mooreen),
house built 1936,
Aodogán listed as living there by
[Thom's, 1938],
the house website
says:
"In 1932, in America"
[Aodogán and Marion]
"purchased plans for use in building their new home, Mooreen House. The design was already famous and had been awarded the title House of the Year, and a full-scale replica was constructed in
Macy's New York Department Store.",
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 at home in Moreen, Wed 14th Sept 1994, age 88 yrs,
removal Fri 16th Sept at Clondalkin,
funeral Sat 17th Sept, bur Esker cemetery, Lucan,
Aodogán
lived Moreen to death,
he died Wed 31st May 2000, age 95 yrs,
funeral Sat 3rd June,
see obituary,
Irish Times, 3rd June,
had issue:
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