The funeral of Irish language activist Gearóid Ó Cairealláin has taken place in west Belfast.
Mourners gathered for the Christmas Eve service, conducted in his beloved Irish language, at St Peter’s Cathedral.
Mr Ó Cairealláin, the father of Naoise Ó Cairealláin (Móglái Bap), a member of Irish rap trio Kneecap, died last Friday at the Royal Victoria Hospital after a short illness. He was 67.
He had suffered a stroke some years ago which had left him paralysed from the waist down and in a wheelchair, but continued to work on different projects promoting the Irish language.
Among the mourners at the funeral service were ex Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams, and party colleagues Tom Hartley and Danny Morrison.
Rich Peppiatt, the director of the Kneecap film, was also in attendance.
Press Eye – Belfast – Northern Ireland – 24th December 2024
Naoise î Caireall‡in (M—gla’ Bap) from Kneecap joins family members at the funeral of his father, Irish language leader Gear—id î Caireall‡in at St PeterÕs Cathedral in west Belfast.
The 67-year-old headed Conradh na Gaelic between 1995 and 1998 and was a central figure in the 1991 establishment of Col‡iste Feirste.
Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye
He was a former president of Irish language advocacy group Conradh na Gaeilge and also a founder and former editor of the Irish language newspaper Lá.
His son Naoise, along with Kneecap bandmates Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh and J.J Ó Dochartaigh, paid tribute to Mr Ó Cairealláin at last Saturday night’s sell-out Kneecap gig at the SSE Arena in Belfast.
Paying tribute to him ahead of Saturday night’s SSE Arena concert, the Kneecap band members said: “He was an Irish language revolutionary, community activist, loving father, husband and an inspiration to many.
“We are heartbroken.”
Paula Melvin, the current president of Conradh na Gaeilge, said Mr Ó Cairealláin was “a loved and cherished figure”.
Conchúr Ó Muadaigh, Conradh na Gaeilge advocacy manager, said society had lost “a giant, a leader, a great pioneer and activist of the Irish language movement”.
Irish President Michael D Higgins said his death was “a great loss for all those who work for the use of the Irish language: its rights, its literature, and its place in the daily life of people.”