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Educator had a great grá for Derry and Donegal

Peter Gallagher
Peter Gallagher Peter Gallagher

Peter Gallagher radiated a 'grá' for his native Derry and beloved Donegal.

A champion of all things Irish, he devoted his life to his love and promotion of the language.

But while acknowledged throughout Ulster for this work, Peter was also one of the most innovative educators in the north.

He was educated at St Columb’s College and Queen’s University where, in 1959, he met his future wife, Margaret.

Peter was a member of a particularly talented group at St Columb’s which also included the future Nobel laureate Seamus Heaney.

On his first day at the Bishop Street school, by virtue of alphabetical order, Peter was sat beside the young Heaney and the two embarked on a friendship which was to last all their lives.

After leaving Queen’s Peter taught in local primary and secondary schools. However, his leadership skills were soon recognised and he was appointed director of Letterkenny’s Regional Technical College.

Following a successful term he returned to his native Derry to take over as director of the North West Institute of Further and Higher Education.

His pioneering work led to the college’s development of the not-for-profit Norbic business centre as well as Customised Training Services. He was also the driving force behind a major expansion which included the building of the new Northland building.

However, it was in promoting the Irish language and culture that Peter was most at home.

After spells teaching at Gaeltacht summer schools in Rann na Feirste and Anagaire, he helped found the hugely popular Glenvar Irish college on Donegal’s Fanad Peninsula.

Former SDLP leader Mark Durkan first got to know him when he was deputy president of the Union of Students of Ireland and Peter was principal of Letterkenny college.

He recalled a man of care and consideration.

“He radiated a grá for Derry and Donegal and showed a love for the language, lore and landscape of the north west. He was a man of keen knowledge with a rounded outlook who took the long view.”

After the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, Mr Durkan turned to Peter for advice on cross-border Irish language bodies.

“It was personally fitting therefore when I was able to nominate him to service on the North South language body Foras na Gaeilge."

Away from his public duties, Peter was good company. A man of deep faith, he was always ready to help and the many friends who quietly benefited from his sound counsel are perhaps his greatest legacy.

Peter Gallagher passed away on April 11 following a short illness. He was 75.

He is survived by his wife Margaret, sons Conal and Paul and daughters Máire and Áine.