Seanad Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 24 Nov 1999

Vol. 161 No. 5

Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy.

An Cathaoirleach

Before I announce the matters on the Adjournment, I feel it is the wish of all Members that we should note with sadness the death yesterday of Micheál Crannitch, a former Cathaoirleach and distinguished Member of the Seanad, and extend our deepest sympathy to his wife, Kathleen, and the other members of his family.

When I became a Member of the House in 1981, Micheál Crannitch was then one of its most respected Members. He had a great affection for the House. He was a great lover of the Irish language, Irish culture and Irish traditional music. Of course, he spent many years teaching and for that reason I have a special affinity with him. It was a great shock to learn this morning of his death because I spoke to him in Cork recently at the funeral of his great friend, the late Jack Lynch. I commented to him that day that I had never seen him looking better, even though he had a good, long life. It was always a great pleasure to meet Micheál Crannitch and even since he retired as a Member he took a great interest in the House and all its Members. He always inquired about the people with whom he served. I extend on my own behalf and on behalf of the House our deepest sympathy to his wife and family. I know that the leaders of the various groups wish to join me in a tribute to the late Micheál Crannitch.

Mr. Cassidy

It is with great regret I express my deepest sympathy on behalf of the House and the Fianna Fáil Party to the wife and family of the late Micheál Crannitch who proudly served in Seanad Éireann for many years. Micheál Crannitch was a Senator from 1969 to 1973 and from 1977 to 1982. He came in as a Taoiseach's nominee and went on to become Cathaoirleach of the Seanad. He returned to the Seanad in 1977 on the Agricultural Panel. He was chairman of Cork County Library Committee and a member of the Cork Orchestral Society, Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, the Irish National Teachers Organis ation, the Gaelic Athletic Association and Cork Historical and Archaeological Society.

I knew Micheál Crannitch personally and will always remember him as a great and proud Irishman who spoke Irish as his first language and who never lost an opportunity to promote his native tongue. Micheál was also a talented traditional musician, the fiddle being his favourite instrument. I felt honoured and privileged to have been a member of Seanad Éireann, like you a Chathaoirligh, when he was a Member of this House.

On behalf of the House and on behalf of the Fianna Fáil Party, I offer my sincere sympathy to his wife, Kathleen, and to his sons and daughters. Colour RGB 171,0,0 Go ndéana Dia trócaire ar a anam.

Mr. Connor

On behalf of the Fine Gael group I wish to join in the expression of sympathy on the death of former Senator Micheál Crannitch. Unfortunately I did not know him. He had just left the Seanad when I came here in February 1983. I understand he had been a Seanadóir up to that time. As the Leader said, he was steeped in Irish culture and was particularly interested in traditional music and an accomplished exponent as a musician. He spent 12 years in this House and by all accounts he made a very significant contribution during that period. On my own behalf and on behalf of the other members of my group, I extend to his wife and family our sincere and deepest sympathy.

Mr. O'Toole

Ba mhaith liom comhbhrón a dhéanamh le clann Mhichíl Cranitch agus go mór mhór len a chéile. Comhleacaí liom féin agus leis an gCathaoirleachta bhí ann mar mhúinteoir a scuaib smúit cailce ón a chuid gruaige i rith an lae. Bhí sé gníomhach i gcomhnaí i gcúrsaí oideachais in a chomharsanacht féin, ina chontae, san INTO agus sa Seanad.

Duine den scoth ab ea é. Fear ab ea é a raibh suim aige i gcomhnaí i ngach rud Gaelach, suim sna cluichí, sa cheol, sa teanga agus sa chultúr, fear a chleacht an teanga i ngach seans a fuair sé agus a chuir faoi bhráid an phobail í chomh minic is d'fhéadfadh sé a dhéanamh.

Bhuail mé leis go minic agus chonaic mé é mar fhear a bhí fuinneamhach, suimiúil agus a chuir suim i gcúrsaí an tsaoil agus i gcúrsaí an Tí seo go mór mhór nuair a bhí an áit fágtha aige. Fear ab ea é a raibh suim aige i gcúrsaí oideachais agus ar theastaigh uaidh a fháil amach cad a bhí ar siúl an t-am ar fad nó cad é an dul chun cinn a bhí á dhéanamh san oideachas nó sa pholaitíocht. Ba dhaoine mar é a chuir an Stát seo le chéile agus a chuir an infrastruchtúr le chéile maidir leis an oideachas, leis an bpolaitíocht agus maidir le daoine. Ba mhaith liom mo chomhbhrón a dhéanamh ar son an bhinse seo len a chlann. Ar dheis Dé go raibh sé.

Mr. Ryan

Mar a dúirt an Seanadóir O'Toole, ba dhuine uasal é Micheál Cranitch nach maireann a thuilleadh. Bhíos anseo nuair a bhí sé ina Chathaoirleach. Cé nár aontaíomar faoin a lán rudaí d'éirigh go hiontach eadrainn. Ní dóigh liom gur labhras Béarla riamh le Mícheál Cranitch. Ba dhuine mar sin é. Nuair a fuair sé amach go raibh Gaeilge ag duine agus go raibh an duine sásta Gaeilge a úsáid ní bheadh aon rogha aige a thuilleadh mar ní labhródh sé ach Gaeilge le daoine mar sin.

Ba dhuine uasal é sa bhfíorbhrí den bhfocal sin, duine go raibh uaisleacht ag dul leis. Ní uaisleacht a bhí á lorg aige ach sin mar a bhí sé. Duine go raibh idéalachas ag dul leis chomh maith a bhí ann fhaid is a bhí baint aige le polaitíocht. Tá fhios agamsa agus tá fhios ag daoine eile chomh maith gurb é an t-aon fáth go raibh sé tógtha suas le polaitíocht ná chun an tír a chur chun cinn. Bhí sé de phribhléid agam ós rud é go bhfuil comhnaí orm i gCorcaigh gur leanas i dteangbháil leis ón am gur fhág sé an Tigh seo agus réitíomar go maith le chéile. Chomh maith leis sin tá duine dá chlann, Matt, ag obair liom san Institiúid Teicneolaíochta i gCorcaigh. Ceann de na rudaí a d'fhág sé in a dhiaidh ná clann iontach ceolmhar agus is iontach na rudaí a d'fhág sé in a dhiaidh. I measc na rudaí a d'fhág sé dúinn tá uaisleacht agus ceol. Maraon le gach éinne eile sa Tigh seo ba mhaith liom ar son Páirtí an Lucht Oibre comhbhrón a dhéanamh len a bhean chéile agus len a chlann.

Miss Quill

Ba mhaith liomsa chomh maith comhbhrón a dhéanamh le bean Mhichíl Cranitch agus len a chlann. Fé mar a dúirt an Cathaoirleach bhí sé i láthair ag sochrad Sheáin Uí Loinsigh agus bhí rian an tsláinte air ar an ócáid sin. Is maith an rud é a rá that he died in the fullness of his years but he took his health with him to the end and that is a great blessing any man can have. He enjoyed very good health in his latter years. A good deal has been said about Micheál. I am happy to say he was a friend of mine for more years than I care to remember. In my capacity as a second level teacher, a number of pupils from his school came to my school for their second level education. Micheál's interest in their education continued long after they left his primary school. He would inquire how they were doing and he was very pleased if they were doing well. He never forgot the name of a past pupil and he had hundreds of them and he never lost interest in them or in their well being. That is the mark of a great teacher.

Micheál Crannitch was more than a great teacher, he was a great man. He was the essence of decency and brought with him to public life that sense of public service and he gave it selflessly whether in his capacity as a politician, a school teacher or a community leader in his own parish of Rathduff in the environs of Blarney in County Cork. He had that sense of giving of himself and he had much to give. He was a great educationist and left a great legacy. When the rest of us would struggle to teach a verb or a noun, Micheál would take out the fiddle and enliven the whole process and they would know their gram mar after that. He brought an enormous richness to his task as a teacher and he has left a great legacy because he passed on his love of music to thousands of his students. That is about as good a gift as one can give to any generation of young people, and he passed it on to his family. Mar a dúirt Senator Ryan, he has left a talented family behind, superb musicians, not alone in the traditional mode but also superb classical musicians as is his daughter Éilís who has a reputation on the international stage. That great legacy has enriched not alone his generation but will enrich generations to come.

To his wife, Kathleen, Matt, Brid, Éilís and Peadar, I send two messages, my great gratitude for a friendship I enjoyed from him and his family for the good he did during his lifetime and my sympathy at his death. Fear uasal, fíorGhael, sár cheoltóir ab ea Mícheál Cranitch agus tá súil agam go mbeidh sé ag déanamh ceoil leis na Gaeil ar neamh anocht.

Mr. Callanan

I join other Members in paying tribute to the memory of the late Micheál Crannitch and extend my sympathy to his wife and family. If Micheál was here this morning he would probably begin with a cúpla focail. He usually started most of his conversations in that vein. He would also be pleased with what has been said.

Micheál was a humble man and a very noble and gentle person. He endeared himself to everybody who knew him. I was fortunate to have known him, as were many Members of this House and others.

As a national teacher he served very well. Over the years I met many of his pupils and they were always kind in their expressions of regard for him.

Everyone was pleased to have known the late Micheál Crannitch as a Member of Seanad Éireann. He was a great Irishman who always took pride in the first language of our country and involved himself deeply in its cultural affairs. He enlivened the company he was in. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis. It was nice knowing him.

Members rose.