Native Freeborn Irishman

Seán O'Donoghue

Seán O’Donoghue was born in Dublin, in 1958. He worked as a deep-sea diver and later, as a financial consultant in addition to other jobs and voluntary activities, including PRO for Grampian Irish Social Club and at a Romanian orphanage that he visited in 1993, after listening to a group of boys playing in a mandolin orchestra.

He won first place in a competition for the north-east of Scotland for a piece called Ripples, which recounts his near-death experience under the Piper Alpha oil rig, four years before it went on fire in July 1988, when Seán would be part of the recovery and toppling operation.

He studied English and Creative Writing at All Hallows, Dublin City University.

His travels took him to many parts of the world but, eventually he settled close to where he grew up, in Dublin’s Ballymun. He was living there when he passed away in 2019.

A book about how a deep-sea diver was influenced by the actions of General Michael Collins and others, from tales told to him at his father’s fireside.

The bravery of these men and women inspired Seán to become a deep-sea saturation diver – one of the most dangerous jobs in the world after that of a frontline soldier or a spy. In all his work with divers, over many years, he never met one who was not brave.

Seán O’Donoghue was born in Dublin, in 1958. His training and his work as a deep-sea diver took him to places as far flung as Miami, Florida and Malaysia but, closer to home, he also spent time in Plymouth, England, Scotland and various parts of Ireland. When the Piper Alpha oil rig in the North Sea went on fire in July 1988, Seán was part of the recovery mission and the toppling operation that followed. He suffered Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after that job. Later, he worked at an orphanage in Romania – an experience that touched him deeply.

However, these are just some of the episodes from a life that has been eventful as it has been memorable, learning lessons along the way, including how to always see the lighter side of life and to find courage and strength in the face of adversity. It is related here in the format of poetry, prose, photographs.

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Also available in ePub format from Apple (iTunes), Barnes & Noble, Kobo – coming soon

Seán O'Donoghue reads two of his poems: My First Memory and When Will They Go?. Recorded in Ballymun Library in spring 2014. Listen to podcast.

Seán O'Donoghue talks to John Healy of Near FM in an interview recorded on 15 May 2013. Listen to podcast.

Two poems by Seán O'Donoghue, in written and audio format, available from Dublin City Council website.