Tralee’s Peadar Cremin sadly passed away earlier this week.

IT IS with great sadness that we have to announce the passing of Tralee’s Peadar Cremin who died following a battle with illness this past Monday November 30th.

Peadar was perhaps best known for the not so small part he played in the education system throughout the years.

He excelled and embraced the many challenges that the system brought, working as a teacher in Scoil Íosagáin, Farranree in Cork from 1969 to 1976 before moving on to lecture in various subjects the famous Mary Immaculate College.

In 1999, he was appointed as the first lay President of the College in 101 years and over the term of his presidency, the College community expanded dramatically with, by the time of his retirement in 2011, over 3,000 students enrolled on 30 different academic programmes at undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral levels.

While his professional side was rightfully praised, it is the human side that will most be remembered.

This writer had the good fortune to know Peadar in a very small way, having attended Mary Immaculate College as a teaching student during his last two years of his presidency.

My abiding memory of the man is when on an absolutely atrociously wet and miserable day, he saw me huddled in the doorway of the college, glanced at the rain plummeting to the ground outside and inquired if I had an umbrella with me.

When I told him that alas I didn’t, he told me to hop in his car and he’d drop me back to my apartment, never I have been more grateful for a lift home.

On the way there, he asked me about everything from college, assignments, family and to where I was from, before finally wishing me well in the rest of my assignments and playfully reminding me to purchase an umbrella for next time.

A simple gesture, but one that this writer feels is testament to the character of the man.

Rest in Peace, Peadar.