Cormac Ó Braonáin
Born: August 20th, 2000
Died: December 15th, 2019
The last few days before he died were characteristic of Cormac Ó Braonáin’s short but full life.
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He travelled from Dublin to Belfast to canvass for the SDLP candidate Claire Hanna in South Belfast. Back in Dublin he helped Scouting Ireland prepare for its Christmas Tree appeal; began work on a social media strategy for Labour Youth (where he had recently been elected national chair). On the eve of the accident that claimed his life on December 15th, he attended an Irish language event at Conradh na Gaeilge, met with his mother, Eva, in Dublin city centre, and represented Labour Youth in a rally for inclusion and diversity.
According to his family and friends, he packed his every waking moment with a multiplicity of interests and brought an abundance of energy and enthusiasm to them, along with an open and friendly demeanour as well as a deep political and social commitment. Despite his sudden death at the age of 19 it was already clear that he was someone destined to make a significant contribution to Irish society.
Tógadh Cormac sna Glasáin, Dún Droma agus d’fhreastal sé ar Ghaelscoil Lios na nÓg, Raghnallach, agus ar Choláiste Eoin, Stigh Lorcáin. In omós dó, bhí ócáidí cuimhneacháin eagraithe le linn na seachtaine. Rinne an dá scoil comóradh agus ceiliúradh ar a shaol, agus tháinig na céadta ag na hócáidí sin chun a gcomhbhrón a chur in iúl.
Bhí sé sa dara bliain i gColáiste na hOllscoile, Baile Átha Cliath ag am a bháis, agus é i mbun céime sa pholatíocht agus chaidrimh idirnáisiúnta. Gaeilgeoir líofa ab ea é agus bhí traidisiún láidir Gaeilge agus ceoil i measc a mhuintre féin.
Cormac lived with his family in Windy Arbour in south Dublin and attended Gaelscoil Lios na nÓg, Ranelagh, and Coláiste Eoin, Stillorgan. Both schools held special events this week to commemorate and celebrate his life and achievements.
Studying politics
He was in his second year at University College Dublin, studying politics and international relations. He was a fluent Irish speaker and came from a well-known family with a long tradition of speaking Irish, and also of music and theatre. He was very involved with Conradh na Gaeilge, and helped popularise the “pop-up Gaeltachts” in Dublin.
Cormac was active politically from a young age. His father Lughaidh (Lú) was a member of Labour in Dublin Rathdown.
His sister Muireann recalls him at he age of six and having long political conversations with his father at the dinner table. He was the party’s youngest canvasser in 2011, putting up posters for that year’s general election, at the age of 11. Later he campaigned with Together for Yes and in the 2018 referendum to repeal the Eighth Amendment.
Within months of starting in UCD, he had revived the Labour branch in the university and was elected the national chair of Labour Youth in November this year. He had also cut his teeth as a director of elections, helping Mary Freehill to success in Dublin Bay South. He volunteered for President Michael D Higgins’s successful re-election campaign in 2018. Though still in his teens, the party had already recognised his huge potential. Indeed, for his 19th birthday his only request for a present was a megaphone, which was put to good use at rallies and protests.
Scouting
He loved the outdoors and was deeply involved in scouting in Dartry, as were his parents. Over time he became a venture scout and scout leader and represented Scouting Ireland in Japan in 2015. He was a GAA goalkeeper in school and his crucial penalty save helped Coláiste Eoin win a memorable U14 Leinster A championship in 2014.
Proinsias de Poire, principal of Coláiste Eoin, remembers a very popular student who was always “i lár an aonaigh” with the Irish language, editing the school magazine, serving on the student council, and singing in the school choir. He was a talented musician, on piano, harmonica and as a singer.
Just as his father infused an interest in politics, he was inspired by his mother’s work in theatre. He was a grandson of the prominent broadcaster Ronnie Walsh, who devised and presented the RTÉ radio show Sunday Miscellany.
His former history teacher Seán Delap recalls the huge amount of research he did – including numerous visits to the National Archive – on his great grandfather Séamus Robinson, who led the Soloheadbeg ambush in 1919. Cormac was proud to accompany his grandmother to the recent launch of Daniel Jack’s biography of Robinson, Citizen Soldier.
Infectious enthusiasm
Friends have spoken about his ready smile, his infectious enthusiasm and his easy manner. “He treated everybody the same and was always so proud when something good was achieved,” said Muireann.
“An tseachtain seo, chuimhnigh muid uilig ar Chormac, an fear óg draíochtúil seo a bhí in ann daoine a mhunlú agus a spreagadh chun rudaí a dhéanamh,’ a dúirt an t-Uasal de Poire.
“This week we all remembered Cormac, this magical young man who was able to inspire and encourage people to do good things,” said de Poire.
Cormac Ó Braonáin is survived by his parents, Lú and Eva, his sister Muireann and his grandmother Dimphne.