Cad fúinne mar sin? What of us then?

Leabhar dírbheathaisnéise i mBéarla le Colm Ó Tórna.

Colm O Tórna was born in clontarf, Dublin. He received much of his education, both primary and secondary, through the medium of Irish in Scoil Cholmcille, Coláiste Muire and St. Joseph’s, Marino and finally in fulfilling years in Kostka College. He worked manually in England as a hodcarrier as well as a steam hammer driver for some eight years and was a member of the Conventry Irish Boxing Club. Later on he met his wife to be, Eibhlín Foley, in London. The birth of their first son, Muireadach, awakened an enriched sense of their patrimony and prompted them to speak to him in Irish. Thus an Ghaeilge became their home language in London.

They returned to Ireland in 1962 where he became involved in Conradh na Gaeilge, Cuallacht Mhuire gan Smál, a Jesuit Sodality, and the campaigns to save Scoil Dhún Chaoin in Kerry, to found Scoil an tSeachtair laoch in Ballymun and to ensure Tory Island its future. Muireadach suffered from cystic fibrosis and died aged four. Both their other sons attended all-Irish schools at both levels.

Colm spent the rest of his working life in the Irish language arena and worked as a manager of the Glór na nGael competition, and later as manager for both the Bord na Gaeilge community schemes and finally for An Comhlachas Náisiúnta Dramaíochta.

He then spent 25 years as editor of SAOL, the Irish language monthly newsletter. He was a researcher for the Trom agus Eadrom television series in its early years, as well as contributing regularly to Radio na Gaeltachta and RTE radio programs.

He has written ‘Re-Embracing Irish – a Continuous Language Journey’. He has a particular interest in a religiously sourced humanism and the essential role of languages ​​as constant conduits to their peoples’ wit, witness, and wisdom.