Seán Ó Súilleabháin (30 November 1903 – 13 December 1996) was a teacher and folklorist with the

Irish Folklore Commission The Irish Folklore Commission () was set up in 1935 by the Irish Government to study and collect information on the folklore and traditions of Ireland. History Séamus Ó Duilearga (James Hamilton Delargy) founded ''An Cumann le Béaloideas Éir ...

. He was a native Irish speaker from

County Kerry County Kerry () is a Counties of Ireland, county on the southwest coast of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. It is bordered by two other countie ...

. Educated at St Brendan's College, Killarney, he trained as a national school teacher from 1921 to 1923 at De La Salle College Waterford. He worked as a teacher in

County Kilkenny County Kilkenny () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster and is part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. It is named after the City status in Ir ...

and Mount Sion, Waterford. In 1934, he earned an external BA in Celtic Studies from

University College London University College London (Trade name, branded as UCL) is a Public university, public research university in London, England. It is a Member institutions of the University of London, member institution of the Federal university, federal Uni ...

, followed by an MA. In 1935, he became the first archivist with the Irish Folklore Commission, which had been established, and received training at

Uppsala University Uppsala University (UU) () is a public university, public research university in Uppsala, Sweden. Founded in 1477, it is the List of universities in Sweden, oldest university in Sweden and the Nordic countries still in operation. Initially fou ...

in Sweden. Following the commission's closure, he worked as a lecturer at

University College Dublin University College Dublin (), commonly referred to as UCD, is a public research university in Dublin, Ireland, and a collegiate university, member institution of the National University of Ireland. With 38,417 students, it is Ireland's largest ...

. He was awarded an honorary DLittCelt from the

National University of Ireland The National University of Ireland (NUI) () is a federal university system of ''constituent universities'' (previously called '' constituent colleges'') and ''recognised colleges'' set up under the Irish Universities Act 1908, and signifi ...

in 1976.

Personal life

He married Mairin Sheehy, and had a son and daughter. He died on 13 December 1996, and is buried in

Shanganagh Cemetery Shanganagh Cemetery is a cemetery in south County Dublin, in the administrative county of Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown just to the south of Shankill. The cemetery consists of two areas, on the Dublin Road, the other to the east, on the western sid ...

County Dublin County Dublin ( or ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland, and holds its capital city, Dublin. It is located on the island's east coast, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. Until 1994, County Dubli ...

.Seán Ó Súilleabháin
www.ainm.ie

References

1903 births 1996 deaths Irish folklorists Irish schoolteachers People from County Kerry People educated at St Brendan's College, Killarney Alumni of University College London Alumni of De La Salle Teacher Training College, Waterford {{Ireland-academic-bio-stub