Statement by President Connolly on the death of Gabriel Rosenstock

Statement by President Connolly on the death of Gabriel Rosenstock

Date: Mon 6 Apr, 2026 | 18:13

"May I join with all those who have expressed such sadness on learning of the death of the poet, translator, playwright and writer of so many different forms Gabriel Rosenstock.

Those titles alone could never capture the extent of the contribution which Gabriel made over the course of his life.

Across an extraordinary career, he made a particularly special contribution to the Irish language, leaving not only a broad body of his own work, but also a remarkably diverse set of translations, through which he brought so many of the great writers of the world to the Irish language.

His writing has been enjoyed, and will continue to be enjoyed, by people of all ages, while his translations will continue to ensure an engagement between our language and so many of the other cultures of the world.

In recent weeks, Gabriel has made a further great and moving contribution in sharing his experiences of illness and his contemplations of life and death with the public.

He will be deeply missed.

As President of Ireland, may I express my deepest condolences to Gabriel's wife Eith­ne, to his children Tristan, Heilean and Saffron, and remembering his late daughter Eabha, to his extended family and friends, to his colleagues in Aosdána, and to his many readers and admirers around the world.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis."