The biographer and former chief librarian in RTÉ, Diarmuid Breathnach, has died.
Born in Kiltimon, Co Wicklow, in 1930, Mr Breathnach was educated in UCD Dublin before he was appointed town librarian in Bray and Kilkenny county librarian.
He was subsequently employed by RTÉ to set up its radio archives and in 1975 he became the organisation's chief librarian.
In 1987, he took early retirement from RTÉ and he and fellow librarian, Máire Ni Mhurchú, began working full-time on the Irish-language Dictionary of Irish Biography, Beathaisnéis.
They published nine volumes during 1986-2007 detailing the lives of writers, scholars, singers, actors, broadcasters, sports personalities, journalists, musicians, folklorists, politicians, clergymen, storytellers, activists and Gaeltacht personalities.
Mr Breathnach was also the author of two almanacks in Irish and published material in newspapers and journals.
In 1996, he and Máire Ní Mhurchú were awarded Gradam Bhord na Gaeilge.
They received a D Litt Celt from Maynooth University in 2002. In 2008, they were presented with Gradam an Oireachtais.
