Tributes paid to ‘outstanding’ Cork historian Gabriel Doherty after his death at 56

Tánaiste Micheál Martin has led tributes to historian Gabriel Doherty who died suddenly at the age of 56 at his home in Cork City on Friday.

Mr Martin said that he was deeply shocked to hear of Mr Doherty’s death, having met him just last month at a commemoration to republican Dick Barrett, who was executed during the Irish Civil War.

“First of all, I am shocked and very saddened to hear of Gabriel’s passing – he was an outstanding historian based in UCC where he did tremendous work on the War of Independence and Civil War.

“I met Gabriel just a fortnight ago in Enniskeane at the commemoration and the unveiling of a sculpture to Dick Barrett – it’s very, very, sad news and my sympathies go this his family.

President of UCC Prof John O’Halloran also paid tribute to Birmingham-born Mr Doherty, who joined the School of History in UCC in the late 1990s where he taught courses in modern Irish history.

“Gabriel was an outstanding historian who deepened our understanding of key moments in Irish history,” said Prof O’Halloran, adding that his loss will deeply felt among the university community.

“He played a significant role in the recent Decade of Centenaries commemorations and a leading role in research, teaching and examining the War of Independence and Civil War period.

“Much admired and loved, his loss will be deeply felt … we extend our deepest sympathy to his wife Gill, daughters Meabh and Úna, and son Oscar as well as his friends and colleagues.”

Mr Doherty was best known for his co-edited publication Michael Collins and the Making of The Irish State and his co-authored volume Terence MacSwiney: Caught in the Living Flame.

He also contributed an essay on the Bishop’s Pastoral Letter in 1922 condemning anti-Treaty IRA men in the recently published volume from Cork University Press, The Atlas of the Irish Civil War.

A member of the Decades of Centenary Commemorations Advisory Committee, he was well known in Cork for his involvement in various War of Independence and Civil War commemorations.

Among the events he had addressed were commemorations to mark the Dripsey Ambush in the War of Independence and the assassination of Sean Hales and execution of Dick Barrett in the Civil War.