President leads tributes to Leitrim singer and broadcaster

The late Mary McPartlan leaves a “legacy of achievement for the arts that will endure”, President Michael D Higgins has said, leading tributes to the Leitrim singer and broadcaster.

“It is with deep sadness that Sabina and I have heard of the death of a dear friend, Mary McPartlan, musical director, broadcaster, and one of Ireland’s great folk singers,” President Higgins said in a statement issued earlier this week.

Ms McPartlan of Liosmore, Cappagh Road, Barna, Co Galway, and formerly Drumkeeran, Co Leitrim, was creative director of NUI Galway’s Arts in Action programme.

She was also a celebrated Fulbright scholar whose research on the music of the Appalachian singer Jean Ritchie led to the establishment of an annual MA scholarship at NUIG for students from Berea College in Kentucky.

McPartlan was a member of the folk duo Calypso in the 1970s, and later worked as a producer for television and stage.

A leading light in the establishment of the Gradam Ceoil TG4 awards, she produced two seasons of the TG4 series Flosc, as well as an Irish traditional music show in Las Vegas in 2003.

Mary Mc Partlan is survived by her loving husband Paddy (Noonan) and their family: Mairéad, Méabh, Niamh, David and their families, brothers Martin and Séamus, sisters Pauline and Gertie and by her relatives and many friends including her many musical friends.

“Mary will always be remembered fondly for her traditional Irish singing, as a recording artist, an Arts promoter and as a Lecturer at National University of Ireland, Galway.”

Her funeral will be celebrated by her family privately, and she will be laid to rest in Galway.