Caitlín Ní Thoirbheird (5 May 1891 – 24 July 1969) was a

Conradh na Gaeilge (; historically known in English as the Gaelic League) is a social and cultural organisation which promotes the Irish language in Ireland and worldwide. The organisation was founded in 1893 with Douglas Hyde as its first president, when it emer ...

activist and Irish language educator.

Biography

Ní Thoirbheird was born in Boyle in 1891. Her parents were James Turbitt, a coach-maker, and Mary Gahan. She was one of seven living children. Ní Thoirbheird was known in the family as Cassie and only she and her sister Áine spoke Irish. Ní Thoirbheird worked as a travelling teacher in and around

Lurgan Lurgan () is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland, near the southern shore of Lough Neagh and roughly southwest of Belfast. The town is linked to Belfast by both the M1 motorway (Northern Ireland), M1 motorway and the Belfast–Dublin rail ...

and

Mountmellick Mountmellick or Mountmellic () is a town in the north of County Laois, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is on the N80 road (Ireland), N80 road, 6 km north of Portlaoise. The town is within Mountmellick (parish), Mountmellick Roman Catholic p ...

in 1915. Ní Thoirbheird worked for Conradh na Gaeilge. She was appointed assistant organiser in

Roscommon Roscommon (; ; ) is the county town and the largest town in County Roscommon in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is roughly in the centre of Ireland, near the meeting of the N60 road (Ireland), N60, N61 road (Ireland), N61 and N63 road (Irelan ...

in 1918 and then county secretary in 1920. She was also appointed travelling teacher for Roscommon County Council from 1923 but continued to work for the Gaelic League. She was employed full time as a teacher of Irish by the County Roscommon Vocational Education Committee. Ní Thoirbheird retired on 30 June 1957. She died in 1969, and is buried in Assylin Cemetery.

References and sources

1891 births 1969 deaths 20th-century Irish women Irish women educators Irish women activists Language activists {{Ireland-bio-stub